Joined by leaders from China and Brazil — and saluted by North Korean generals — the Russian president seeks to portray strength and global relevance despite growing Western isolation and military setbacks in Ukraine.
On Friday, Vladimir V. Putin stood at the center of Red Square’s Victory Day parade, flanked by global allies and military brass, determined to show the world — and his domestic audience — that Russia remains a major power, undeterred by its protracted war in Ukraine and mounting Western isolation.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany, the Kremlin orchestrated its largest parade since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, using the occasion not only to commemorate past military glory but also to bolster Russia’s image as a leader of a new, non-Western geopolitical order.
Foreign dignitaries seated alongside Putin included Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico — the only EU leader in attendance — were also present. North Korean generals, in full dress uniform, saluted Putin at the end of the ceremony, though their leader Kim Jong-un did not attend, and North Korean troops did not march in the parade as expected.
Despite the absence of high-level Western officials and an ongoing war with no decisive end in sight, the Kremlin cast the presence of over 20 foreign leaders — many from nations neutral or antagonistic toward the West — as a sign of Russia’s enduring global influence.
A Parade of Power — and Contradictions
Over 11,500 troops marched across Red Square, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry. The parade featured more than 180 pieces of military hardware, including tanks, howitzers, and nuclear missile launchers — a stark contrast to last year’s pared-down display, which included just one Soviet-era tank.
This year’s parade also highlighted Russia’s growing military alliances: Chinese troops joined the march, as did units from former Soviet republics aligned with Moscow. Drones used in Ukraine were paraded past spectators, underscoring the central role of technology in Russia’s modern military campaign.
But the spectacle stood in contrast to Russia’s current battlefield realities. After three years of war, Russian forces have made only modest gains in Ukraine. A decisive victory remains elusive. Sanctions, falling oil prices, and sustained high interest rates have strained Russia’s economy, even as trade with China and military support from North Korea have helped soften the blow.
While Putin praised the “righteous fight” of Russian forces in Ukraine, his remarks were notably restrained, focused instead on drawing historical parallels between World War II and Russia’s present-day conflicts. “Our fathers bequeathed to us to firmly defend our national interests, our thousand-year-old history, culture and traditional values,” he said, echoing themes of patriotic continuity.
The Optics of Global Alignment
For Putin, the parade was as much about diplomacy as domestic morale. Televised images showed him chatting with Xi Jinping — a potent signal of the growing Russia-China partnership. The Kremlin later emphasized that the two leaders had exchanged messages of support with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed a willingness to reset U.S.-Russia relations if re-elected.
Notably absent were any senior American or NATO representatives.
North Korean support was also a focus. While Kim Jong-un stayed home, high-ranking generals attended the event. At its conclusion, Putin approached them and was heard saying “thank you very much,” an apparent nod to their country’s contributions on the battlefield. North Korean artillery and ammunition have reportedly been used by Russian forces, particularly in recent operations around the contested city of Kursk.
A War Cast in Soviet Shadows
Victory Day has long served as a unifying occasion in Russia, commemorating the Soviet Union’s staggering sacrifice of an estimated 27 million lives during World War II. But under Putin, the event has increasingly been used to legitimize Russia’s war in Ukraine, where the Kremlin falsely claims it is fighting “Nazis.”
This year, security in Moscow was tighter than ever. Streets near the Kremlin were sealed, metro stations shut down, and internet disruptions reported across the capital. Just days earlier, Ukrainian drones had forced the temporary closure of all major Moscow airports — a reminder that even the heavily fortified capital is not immune to the conflict.
As fighter jets roared over the square in the event’s dramatic finale, Putin sought to wrap the nation’s painful wartime present in the comforting symbols of past triumph. But beneath the choreography, the message was clear: Russia is standing firm, increasingly aligned with China, North Korea, and others opposed to the Western-led world order — and determined to define its own future, on its own terms.
