On 9 May every year, Russia celebrates Victory Day, putting on a large parade in honour of the country's victory over Nazi Germany 79 years ago - in what remains an important symbol of the country's national identity.

On 9 May every year, Russia celebrates Victory Day, putting on a large parade in honour of the country’s victory over Nazi Germany 79 years ago - in what remains an important symbol of the country’s national identity.

Russia only had one tank on display during its Victory Day parade this year.

Every year, Moscow wraps itself in patriotic pageantry for Victory Day, a celebration of its victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

Today marks the 79th anniversary and Mr Putin addressed the parade in the Red Square, talking up his country’s military capabilities in a speech aimed as much at a foreign audience as a domestic one.

Vladimir Putin used his Victory Day speech this year to try and warn Russia’s combat forces were “always ready” but admitted the country was going through a “difficult period”.

    • partial_accumenEnglish
      41•2 months ago

      Isn’t that one of the T-34 tanks Russia had to buy back from the country of Laos some years ago?

    • Admiral PatrickEnglish
      31•2 months ago

      I also thought the one, lonely tank seemed familiar (had to check the article date to make sure it was new). Thanks for posting that so I didn’t have to dig up last year’s.

    • HubertManne
      9•2 months ago

      ok I did look at your wikipedia page and went to some links for it trying to find this but im sorta curious what was the typical number of tanks before? I know you are unlikely to just know this but worth a try.

      • @CheradenineEnglish
        24•2 months ago

        Again, Wikipedia , but in 2020 they had ‘around 250 plus vehicles… and 80-strong (aircraft) flypast.’

        The ‘250 plus’ seems to be armored vehicles, they counted ICBM and intermediate missle launchers separately.

        2023 and 2024, no planes either

          • DdCno1
            14•2 months ago

            That’s what tends to happen when you send a parade army into a war it was never meant to fight.

    • HubiEnglish
      4•2 months ago

      Last year there were a couple of T-34s standing on the sidelines, though they may not have been in working order.