Ukraine’s President Suggests May 9 Parade in Moscow Is a Target
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hinted at Ukraine’s potential plans to target the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9.
Photo: мультимедиа.минобороны.рф by Vadim Savitsky,
Military parade on Red Square
Speaking in his evening address, Zelensky stated that Russia should be concerned about the ongoing hostilities and should agree to an unconditional and complete ceasefire.
“Right now, they are worried that their parade is in jeopardy — and they should be worried indeed,” Zelensky said.
The parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War is scheduled to take place on May 9 in Moscow. Reports indicate that troops recognized for their involvement in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine will also participate in the procession on Red Square.
Kremlin Responds to Zelensky’s Remarks
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Zelensky’s remark.
“Zelensky makes a lot of statements, most of them are unsuccessful. The parade will go ahead, and we will proudly watch it,” Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman said.
Russian Foreign Ministry Reaction
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova also commented on Zelensky’s video address, in which he implied that Kyiv might strike the Moscow parade.
“What kind of ‘ceasefire’ can be discussed when Kyiv is openly planning terrorist attacks live on air?” Maria Zakharova, Russian MFA Spokesperson, said on Telegram.
Zakharova accused Zelensky of acting like a “classic terrorist,” arguing that the threat to attack the Russian capital further proves that it was Kyiv, not Moscow, that was undermining peace efforts.
Background on Ceasefire Proposals
On April 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire in the special military operation zone from May 8 to May 11, in connection with the Victory Day celebrations. Zelensky dismissed the gesture as manipulation:
“For some reason, everyone is expected to wait until May 8 and only then stop shooting — to provide silence for Putin’s parade. We value human lives, not parades,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
He called for an “immediate, full, and unconditional” 30-day ceasefire, arguing that only such measures could lead to meaningful conflict resolution.
Details
The Moscow Victory Day Parade is an annual military parade of the Russian Armed Forces on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 during the Victory Day celebrations. The most important parade of those being held on May 9 is the one held on Moscow’s Red Square, with the President of Russia as the guest of honor and keynote speaker in virtue of his constitutional mandate as Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces. The parade is a commemoration of the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Red Army, marking the end of the Eastern Front of World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. According to anthropologist Sergey Ushakin, modern victory parades are intended to demonstrate the direct and immediate connection of the present with the past and to materialize the connection between generations. Long time parade commander Oleg Salyukov described them as a “celebration for people, not show of militarism” referring to accusations of the parade being used as show of Russian military might.
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