Putin ditches victory parades over fears soldiers will be hit by kamikaze drone

A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launcher rolls through Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2023 (Picture: AFP)

Vladimir Putin has had to cancel multiple Victory Day parades over ‘security risks’.

Russia marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II with a grand procession through Red Square, assembling battalions and modern military hardware, and smaller events throughout the country.

This year – amid Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks targeting oil refineries inside the country – several events have been axed.

Celebrated every year on May 9, the Victory Parade will take place online in some regions, Elena Tsunaeva, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labour, Social Policy and Veterans’ Affairs, announced.

Putin pictured at last year’s parade (Picture: Getty)

Portraits of veterans will be placed on public transport instead of the procession.

Heads of multiple Russian regions and occupied Crimea, for example, announced that events will be scaled back or not happening at all, despite it being the most solemn day in the Russian calendar.

Victory parades and fireworks have been axed in the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Pskov, Ryazan, Kursk and Saratov. Bit not all are near the border with Ukraine.

For example, the Pskov region shares borders with Nato states Estonia and Latvia.

Soldiers march on Red Square (Picture: Getty)

In the meantime, the demonstration on Red Square in Moscow will go ahead, but under intense security measures.

Across Russia hundreds of marches of the ‘Immortal Regiment’ – when people carry photos of their war veteran relatives – have been scrapped too.

One fear was that these events could be hijacked by anti-war protesters.

‌Putin-appointed puppet leader of Crimea Sergei Aksenov confirmed: ‘There are no plans to hold a military parade and the Immortal Regiment march in the Republic of Crimea on May 9. This is due to security issues.’

Some of the military vehicles hat rolled into the procession (Picture: Getty)

It comes as new arms and ammunition supplies are due to arrive in Ukraine, just within days after the US Congress voted through a $61 billion aid package in new legislation now signed by Joe Biden.

Rishi Sunak also promised the UK’s largest ever military aid package for Ukraine during a trip to Poland on Tuesday.

Equipment will include 400 vehicles, 1,600 missiles, 4m rounds of ammunition, 60 boats, as well as an additional £500m in military funding, taking the total to £3bn this financial year.

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