Putin Hosts Global Leaders at Massive Victory Day Parade

President Vladimir Putin presided over Russia’s largest Victory Day parade since the Ukraine invasion began, welcoming an unprecedented gathering of more than two dozen world leaders to Moscow in a carefully choreographed display of international support that challenges Western efforts to isolate the Kremlin.

The massive military parade on Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II, featured thousands of troops, tanks, missile launchers, and aircraft traversing Moscow’s Red Square, as leaders from China, Brazil, and numerous Global South nations sat alongside Putin on the reviewing stand.

Diplomatic Triumph Amid Conflict

“Truth and justice are on our side,” Putin declared in his address to the assembled dignitaries and thousands of spectators, according to The Washington Post. “The whole country, society, people support the participants of the special military operation,” he added, using Russia’s official terminology for the war against Ukraine.

The parade marked a significant diplomatic victory for the Russian president, who has faced intense Western-led sanctions and isolation efforts since ordering the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Previous Victory Day celebrations since the war began had been notably subdued, with few foreign dignitaries in attendance.

This year’s event, however, drew leaders from 29 countries, according to the Kremlin, with Chinese President Xi Jinping—described by Putin as “our main guest”—given the most prominent position beside the Russian leader on the reviewing stand.

Global South Solidarity on Display

Beyond Xi, the parade was attended by numerous prominent Global South leaders, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, highlighting Russia’s continued diplomatic reach despite Western sanctions.

Even more notable was the presence of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, representing a European Union member state, in a significant break from the bloc’s united front against Russia. European leaders were conspicuously absent, with most choosing instead to attend a parallel ceremony in Lviv, Ukraine, focused on establishing a war crimes tribunal targeting Russian officials.

“Eighty years ago, the forces of justice around the world, including China and the Soviet Union, united in courageous battles against their common foes and defeated the overbearing fascist powers,” Xi wrote in an article for the Russian Gazette ahead of the ceremony, as reported by People’s Dispatch, emphasizing the historical solidarity being invoked at the event.

Military Might Showcased

The parade itself represented a significant escalation in scale compared to recent years, when Russia’s military resources were heavily committed to the Ukraine front. This year’s display included Iskander ballistic missiles, advanced drones, Tornado-S multiple rocket launchers, and TOS-2 Tosochka heavy flamethrower systems—all weapons actively deployed in the Ukraine conflict.

Perhaps most ominously, Russia’s nuclear-capable Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles also rolled through Red Square, a reminder of the country’s nuclear deterrent amid heightened geopolitical tensions. The aerial portion of the parade featured fighter aircraft releasing smoke in the colors of the Russian flag as they flew over the Kremlin.

Military units from 13 countries, including China, participated in the parade alongside Russian troops, further emphasizing the international nature of the event and Putin’s success in building military partnerships beyond Western alliances.

Security Concerns Addressed

The massive gathering of world leaders occurred despite significant security concerns, particularly after Ukraine launched several drone attacks against Moscow in the days leading up to the parade. The attacks temporarily shut down all four Moscow airports on Wednesday, raising questions about Russia’s ability to secure its capital for such a high-profile event.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had explicitly warned that Kyiv “cannot be responsible for what happens” in Russia during the celebrations, stating Ukraine would not be “playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin’s exit from isolation on May 9.”

Despite these threats, Russian authorities implemented extraordinary security measures throughout Moscow, including widespread deployment of air defense systems and extensive police presence, successfully preventing any disruptions to the main parade. Putin had also declared a three-day ceasefire to mark the anniversary, though fighting has reportedly continued along portions of the front line.

Narrative of Historical Continuity

Throughout the ceremonies, Putin carefully reinforced the Kremlin’s narrative linking the current Ukraine conflict to the Soviet Union’s struggle against Nazi Germany, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. This framing, which characterizes the Ukraine invasion as a continuation of the fight against fascism, remains central to domestic support for the war.

When active-duty soldiers who had fought in Ukraine paraded through Red Square, the assembled dignitaries rose in applause. Among them was Lyudmila, a widow whose husband was killed in Ukraine, who told The Washington Post that Russia’s international support was “a good sign.”

“It’s wonderful that we have such great support and that other countries are uniting around us,” she said, reflecting the success of the Kremlin’s messaging in connecting contemporary conflicts to the historical memory of World War II.

Geopolitical Implications

For international observers, the parade and its substantial guest list demonstrate the limits of Western isolation efforts and highlight Russia’s success in maintaining relationships across the Global South. The prominent participation of Xi Jinping, in particular, underscores the deepening strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing in the face of shared tensions with Washington.

Putin’s ability to host such an international gathering challenges the narrative that Russia remains a pariah state and suggests that much of the world continues to engage with Moscow despite its actions in Ukraine. This reality complicates Western diplomatic efforts and may influence future approaches to pressuring Russia over the conflict.

As Russian tanks and missiles rolled through Red Square to the applause of leaders from four continents, the spectacle offered a powerful visual reminder that, three years into the Ukraine war, the geopolitical landscape remains deeply divided, with Russia maintaining significant international relationships despite Western condemnation.