Russia. How will the Victory Parade on May 9 in Moscow? Fewer soldiers and military equipment. plans

According to information on the formation of queues for this year’s parade, published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 129 units of military equipment will participate in the parade this year, compared to 191 military vehicles a year earlier, the Russian section of the Russian Armed Forces. The BBC reported in a Saturday post.

There will also be fewer soldiers. About 10,000 people are scheduled to march on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, including Cossacks, young people from the paramilitary Gunnarmia movement and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In 2021, 12,000 people took part in the show.

TVN24.pl report: Russia’s attack on Ukraine

Information provided by the Russian Ministry of Defense also shows that some types of military equipment that took part in the military parade in 2021 will not be displayed on Red Square. These include T-80 tanks, Koalicja-SW self-propelled guns, heavy Sołncepiok flamethrowers, the Pancyr-S anti-aircraft system, as well as National Guard vehicles.

T-80 tanks, Solncepiok . flamethrowers The BBC reported that the Pancyr and Pancyr groups were observed in Ukraine, where they are taking part in hostilities.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that foreign leaders had not been invited to this year’s Victory Day celebrations. Even allies of Vladimir Putin, including Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, did not receive invitations. Peskov explained that this year’s celebration (the 77th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union over fascism) is not a “jubilee date”.

– This is our holiday, a holiday for all of Russia, all Russians – explained Peskov. However, he said in mid-April that “the tradition of inviting foreign leaders to the Victory Parade on May 9 in Moscow has been preserved”. The guest list has changed from year to year. A Kremlin spokesman told reporters that we will inform you of this year’s version.

And the BBC indicated that the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, came to the military parade in Moscow last year, also in the absence of a jubilee celebration.

The reasons for this year’s smaller Victory Parade are unknown. The number of Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine since the beginning of the military invasion of that country is unknown. The BBC reports that we have learned from open sources that at least 1,899 names have been confirmed so far. She noted that for the last time the Russian Defense Ministry officially announced the losses on March 25, citing 1,351 soldiers.

According to the Ukrainian armed forces, these losses amount to at least 23,500 soldiers. This number may also include people who are injured or imprisoned.