The 2025 Moscow Victory Day Parade was a military parade held in Red Square, Moscow, Russia, on 9 May 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, which celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe. [1]
The 2025 Moscow Victory Day Parade was a military parade held in Red Square, Moscow, Russia, on 9 May 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, which celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe. [1]
Victory Day is a significant secular holiday in Russia that commemorates Germany's surrender in World War II, which marked the end of one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. At least 26 million Soviet citizens lost their lives. Victory Day has been observed annually on 9 May since 1945, and it is one of the most revered and widely celebrated public holidays in Russia, with parades, fireworks, and concerts held across the country. [2]
During the presidency of Vladimir V. Putin, Western observers and media have maintained that the holiday has been used for propaganda purposes, particularly since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [3]
For the first time since 2012, Sergei Shoigu did not greet the 11,500 troops on Red Square as Minister of Defence, as he was replaced on 12 May 2024 after the 2024 Victory Day Parade, with Andrey Belousov assuming the role, appearing in a civilian suit rather than military uniform. Thirteen foreign contingents participated in the parade, including troops from the Commonwealth of Independent States with Egypt, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam joining the procession for the first time. The mechanized column opened with the iconic WWII-era T-34 tank and SU-100 self-propelled gun, symbolizing Soviet victory. They were followed by a display of modern military hardware: BMP-2 and Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicles, T-72B3M, T-80BVM, and T-90M Proryv main battle tanks, reconnaissance vehicles, medical transports, and missile systems including the Iskander-M and S-400 air defense system. Notably, unmanned aerial vehicles and loitering munitions such as the ZALA Lancet and Geran-2 drones were featured for the first time, highlighting the growing role of drone warfare. The parade concluded with a flyover by Su-30SM and MiG-29 fighter jets from the Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams, followed by six Su-25 jets emitting plumes in the colors of the Russian tricolour. In a significant diplomatic gesture, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, became the first leader from an EU or NATO member state to attend the parade since the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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In his Victory Day address, President Vladimir Putin emphasized Russia's role as the primary force behind the defeat of Nazi Germany, crediting the Soviet people with extraordinary heroism and sacrifice. He honored the memory of fallen soldiers and lauded the contributions of all Soviet republics, particularly highlighting the support from Central Asia and the South Caucasus during the war. He condemned modern attempts to distort the history of World War II, including efforts to downplay the Soviet Union's role or to rehabilitate Nazi collaborators. He criticized unnamed countries for erasing Soviet-era monuments and replacing them with memorials to what he called "traitors and Hitler's accomplices."[ citation needed ] He stated that Russia "will never agree" with the falsification of history or the slandering of the Red Army's legacy, and reaffirmed the need to preserve the truth and dignity of the Soviet war effort. Tying the legacy of the war to present-day events, Putin claimed that Russia's current military efforts are a continuation of the fight against Nazism and aggression. He asserted that the entire Russian society supports its soldiers and insisted that truth and justice are on Russia's side. He also warned of rising Russophobia and anti-Semitism, saying that Russia remains a global barrier against such ideologies. While acknowledging the contributions of the Allied nations, including the opening of the Second Front and the efforts of the Resistance and the Chinese people, Putin reiterated that the turning point of the war came on Soviet soil. He called on Russians to remain united, proud, and committed to their homeland, stating that the nation's strength lies in its unity, heritage, and values passed down by the wartime generation.[ citation needed ]
On 6 May, Yuri Ushakov, an aide to President Putin on foreign policy, announced a list of dignitaries who were to attend the parade, among whom were the leaders of 29 nations. Virtually all attended, including the leaders of most of the former Soviet republics, with the exceptions of the GUAM countries (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) and the Baltic states. [4] [5] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev cancelled his visit on 7 May, [6] [7] as did President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith. [6]
President of Abkhazia Badra Gunba [8] 
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan [9] 
Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović 
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko [11] 
President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva [12] 
President of Burkina Faso Ibrahim Traoré [13] 
President of China and General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping [14] 
President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou-Nguesso [15] 
President of Cuba and First Secretary of the Communist Party Miguel Díaz-Canel [16] 
President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi [17] 
President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo [18] 
President of Ethiopia Taye Atske Selassie [19] 
President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló [20] 
Minister of state for Defence of India Sanjay Seth 
Minister of Defence of Indonesia Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin 
Ambassador of Iran to Russia Kazem Jalali 
Ambassador of Israel to Russia Simona Halperin 
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev [21] 
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov [22] 
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Thongsavanh Phomvihane 
Supreme Commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar 
President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh [23] 
Prime Minister of Myanmar and Chairman of the State Administration Council Min Aung Hlaing [24] 
Advisor for Economic and International Affairs of Nicaragua Laureano Ortega 
Ambassador of North Korea to Russia Sin Hong-chol
President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas [25] 
President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić [26] 
Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico [27] [a] 
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of South Africa Angie Motshekga 
President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev [8] 
President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon [29] 
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedow 
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev [30] 
President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro [16] 
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm [31] 
President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa [32] On the evening of 8 May, Putin hosted an official dinner for foreign leaders present for the Victory Day parade. [33]
Bold indicates first appearance, italic indicates multiple appearances, Bold and italic indicate returning appearance, all indicated unless otherwise noted.
Azerbaijani Commando Brigade 5th Brigade, Special Operations Forces of Belarus 37th Air Assault Brigade, Kazakh Airmobile Forces National Guard of Kyrgyzstan 7th Airborne Assault Brigade, Tajik Mobile Forces Independent Honor Guard Battalion of the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan Personnel of the Tashkent Military District of the Ministry of Defence of Uzbekistan Army Officer Training School No. 1, People's Army of Vietnam [34] Military Police Detachment, Egyptian Armed Forces Beijing Capital Garrison Honor Guard Battalion, Central Theater Command, People's Liberation Army Personnel of the Lao People's Armed Forces 032 Military Unit, Mongolian Armed Forces Honour Guard of the Tatmadaw Music was performed by the massed bands of the Moscow Garrison, commanded by Major general Timofey Mayakin.
Inspection of Troops
Speech by President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin
Infantry Column
Mobile and Air Column
Conclusion of the Parade
Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Before the parade, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Putin wanted the announced ceasefire to last only three days, from 8 to 11 May, and rejected a proposal of having a ceasefire for 30 days. [37] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Putin's proposal and reiterated his support for an earlier proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. [38]
During the ceasefire announced by Russia, the Russian forces continued the attacks on Ukraine. [39] Ukrainian drone attacks forced Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow to repeatedly suspend operations, forcing Serbian President Vučić's flight to make a stopover in Azerbaijan. [40] Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned "the Kyiv regime" and "its propensity for terrorist acts". [41] President Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine "cannot be responsible for what happens" in Russia due to the war in Ukraine, and won't be "playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin's exit from isolation on May 9." [42]
Media related to 2025 Moscow Victory Day Parade at Wikimedia Commons
