Russia's Ministry of Defense Changes May 9th Parade Regulations

According to official information from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, military equipment and military cadets will not participate in the May 9 festive event in Moscow's Red Square this year. The reason for this decision, as stated by the ministry, is due to the "current operational situation."

The Ministry notes that representatives from various branches and types of military educational institutions will march on foot. Meanwhile, this year, students from the Suvorov and Nakhimov military schools, as well as representatives from the cadet corps, will be excluded from the parade.

This marks the first instance since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that military equipment will not participate in the Red Square parade. The military has not specified what particular factors influenced this decision.

In contrast, the aviation component for the May 9, 2026 event remains in effect. According to the Ministry of Defense, Russian aerobatic teams will perform in the skies, and Su-25 attack aircraft will paint the Moscow sky in the colors of the Russian flag at the end of the parade. It is noted that in previous years, the aviation segment was often canceled due to weather conditions, and during completed flights, the number of aircraft was greater than what is planned for 2026.