Putin’s Power Play: Military Parade Reflects Strained Russian Aspirations

Amidst a grand military display, President Putin aims to cast Russia as a beacon of strength and unity at the Victory Day parade, yet recent struggles in Ukraine and a faltering economy reveal a starkly different reality.

On May 9, 2025, in Moscow, President Vladimir V. Putin presided over a military parade commemorating Russia’s triumph over Nazi Germany 80 years ago, bolstered by the company of several international leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping. This gathering of dignitaries, which also featured President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, served as a symbolic showcase of Russia's attempt to project an image of global influence amidst continued Western efforts to ostracize the Kremlin following its military incursion into Ukraine in 2022.

Though the attendance of prominent leaders suggested a semblance of international support, the reality of Russia's military endeavors loomed large. Despite the pomp and pageantry of the parade, the Russian military continues to struggle in its campaign, having failed to secure significant victories in the ongoing conflict. Russia's recent battlefield operations have yielded only minor advances while the nation's economy faces challenges, including plummeting oil prices and persistently high interest rates aimed at curbing inflationary pressures.

For the past three years, Mr. Putin has sought to use the narrative of the Soviet Union's World War II success to justify his aggressive stance in Ukraine. However, what has traditionally served as a unifying national celebration has been overshadowed by division and strife, complicating the government's propaganda efforts to rally the populace. As observers analyze the implications of such events, it becomes evident that the years of conflict have transformed a historically significant occasion into a barometer of Russia’s mounting internal and external pressures.

Ivan Nechepurenko, reporting from Moscow, continues to cover developments across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and adjacent regions.