MOSCOW — Russia held its annual Victory Day military parade in Moscow’s Red Square on Saturday as a U.S.-brokered three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine took effect, officials from both sides said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over the event, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The parade was significantly scaled back, with no tanks, missiles or other heavy military equipment on display for the first time in nearly two decades, according to Russian officials and international reports.
The ceasefire, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, runs from May 9 to May 11 and includes a suspension of kinetic activity along with an exchange of prisoners of war. Trump said the agreement, reached with the consent of both Russian and Ukrainian leaders, would facilitate the transfer of about 1,000 prisoners from each side.
“Russia will always be victorious,” Putin said in his address at the parade, according to footage and statements released by the Kremlin.
Security in Moscow was tightened ahead of the event amid ongoing tensions. Russian officials had cited security concerns, including potential Ukrainian threats, as the reason for the pared-down format of the parade.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier issued a decree allowing Russia to proceed with its Victory Day events while stating that Ukrainian forces would observe the ceasefire. Both sides have accused each other of previous violations of temporary truces, though details on compliance with the current three-day pause remained limited early Saturday.
The conflict, now in its fifth year, has seen repeated failed attempts at ceasefires. The latest pause coincides with Russia’s most important secular holiday, which has taken on heightened symbolism under Putin.
Foreign leaders, including representatives from countries aligned with Russia, attended the Red Square event. A traditional flyover by military aircraft took place, but ground displays were limited to marching troops.
As of Saturday afternoon, both Russian and Ukrainian authorities reported that the ceasefire was holding, though monitoring groups noted isolated reports of activity that required verification. The prisoner exchange was expected to begin in the coming days, according to U.S. and Russian statements.
The situation along the front lines was being closely watched as the three-day period began. Diplomatic efforts to extend the pause or move toward a longer-term agreement continue, officials said.
