In Photos: Russia Marks Soviet WWII Victory With No Tanks

May 09, 2026 - 12:22 pm Russia staged its set-piece Victory Day parade on Moscow's Red Square on Saturday to mark 81 years since the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The scaled-back event went ahead with no military hardware, in a first since 2008.

Addressing the military servicemen gathered on the square, President Vladimir Putin said Russian soldiers in Ukraine were fighting an "aggressive force" backed by all of NATO and described his war goals as "just."

Only a handful of foreign leaders were in attendance, most of them leaders of Russia's close allies.

The event featured North Korean troops for the first time, after Pyongyang sent soldiers to help Russia push Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region in 2025.

See photos from the parade here:

Putin attends a ceremony to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall in central Moscow. Alexander Nemenov / AFP

The military parade prepares to start on Red Square. kremlin.ru

Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan (R-L), Vladimir Putin (C) of Russia and Alexander Lukashenko (2nd L) of Belarus attend the Victory Day parade. kremlin.ru

Military personnel on Red Square. Vladimir Smirnov / TASS

Russian servicemen stand in formation before the Victory Day parade in central Moscow. Pavel Bednyakov / POOL / AFP

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov reports to Vladimir Putin the Victory Day parade. kremlin.ru

Sukhoi Su-35S and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft perform with the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) and Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatic teams during the air show over Red Square. kremlin.ru

kremlin.ru

Putin and Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (R front) attend the military parade on Red Square. kremlin.ru

Military personnel during the parade. kremlin.ru

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov takes part in the military parade. kremlin.ru

Police officers guarding Vasilevsky Spusk square before the Victory Day military parade. Pavel Bednyakov / POOL / AFP

Putin greets Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Kremlin. kremlin.ru

Putin greets former Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and his wife at the Kremlin. kremlin.ru

People march during the Immortal Regiment event in the Far East city of Vladivostok, one of the few cities to hold the event this year due to the risk of drone attacks. Yuri Smityuk / TASS

People march during the Immortal Regiment in Khabarovsk. Konstantin Andreyev / TASS

Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft perform during the air show on Victory Day. Sergei Bulkin / TASS Read more about: Victory Day