How does Russia’s scaled-back 2023 Victory Day parade compare to previous years?
Soldiers marching through the streets of Moscow, armoured vehicles rolling across Red Square and a rallying cry from Vladimir Putin talking of the West’s “real war”.
On the surface, Russia’s Victory Day parade may have seemed like business as usual – despite reports beforehand that it was set to be scaled back over security fears.
But the numbers tell a different story.
With just over 50 vehicles on display, the usually-impressive procession was just a quarter of its usual size in terms of tanks, transporters and missile carriers.
There was also no traditional flyover from Russia’s airforce.
Instead, this year’s parade was led through Red Square by a single tank – a far cry from the usual display of military might often displayed on Victory Day.
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Only one tank was involved in this year’s Victory Day parade. Pic: AP
Vehicles moving towards Red Square for 2023’s Victory Day parade. Pic: AP
As is the tradition on the day that marks Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany, that tank was a Second World War-era T-34-85 flying the Soviet Red Flag.
But in previous years, the T-34-85 would have been followed by a large column of modern-day fighting vehicles, including Russia’s prized T-14 Armata and T-90 tanks.
Not this year – a year in which Russia has suffered significant losses following its February 2022 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
MSTA-S self-propelled howitzers during the 2019 Victory Day parade
Russian T-72B3M main battle tanks during Victory Day in 2021
Russian T-72B3M main battle tanks during Victory Day in 2021
Russian Buk-M3 missile systems on Victory Day in 2022
Analysts believe just 51 vehicles were involved in the 2023 procession.
That is a quarter of the 200 pieces of military hardware that rolled through the streets of Moscow in 2020 when Russia marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Even last year – just months after Russia invaded Ukraine – the number of vehicles involved was as high as 131 vehicles – around the same as the pre-COVID 2019 event.
According to one independent analyst, Oliver Alexander, this year’s parade is the first year that he has not seen an official graphic detailing the procession.
However, using Russia’s carefully curated broadcast of the procession, he was able to spot a total of 51 vehicles.
Russia’s only tank on display on Victory Day in 2023, at the head of the procession. Pic: AP
Russian BMP-2M, BMP-3 and BMP Kurganets infantry fighting vehicles on Victory Day in 2022
Among them were several Tigr-Ms – a 4×4 infantry mobility vehicle used to move troops and carry out patrols.
Mr Alexander also counted 10 Remdiesel Z-STS Akhmat MRAPs – armoured vehicles which he said were only used by forces from Chechnya.
Missile launchers and air defence units were also included in the parade – as is tradition.
Read more:
Putin’s ‘grotesque fictions’ exposed on much-changed Victory Day
However, according to Mr Alexander, there were no short-range air defences and no Russian Airborne Forces (also known as VDV), who were heavily involved in the early stages of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The traditional Victory Day flyover – involving Russia’s Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35S combat aircraft flying in formation – was also cancelled in advance.
Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35S combat aircraft fly in formation for the 2020 Victory Day flyover
One section of the procession that did not appear to change however is the appearance of three RS-24 YARS – Russia’s thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Three of the large missile units were on display this year, as they were in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The fast-moving developments on Trump’s Ukraine peace deal are dominating the G20 summit in South Africa, as European leaders scramble to put together a counter-proposal to the US-Russia 28-point plan and reinsert Ukraine into these discussions.
European countries are now working up proposals to put to President Trump ahead of his deadline of Thursday to agree a deal.
Ukraine is in a tight spot. It cannot reject Washington outright – it relies on US military support to continue this war – but neither can it accept the terms of a deal that is acutely favourable to Russia, requiring Ukraine to give up territory not even occupied by Moscow and reducing its army.
Overnight, the UK government has reiterated its position that any deal must deliver a “just and lasting peace”.
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv to discuss ending war in talks in Switzerland
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Keir Starmer calls for growth plan at G20
The prime minister, who spoke with E3 allies President Macron of France, Chancellor Merz of Germany and President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on the phone on Friday, is having more conversations today with key partners as they work out how to handle Trump and improve this deal for Ukraine.
One diplomatic source told me allies are being very careful not to criticise Trump or his approach for fear of exacerbating an already delicate situation.
Instead, the prime minister is directing his attacks at Russia.
Read more:
Trump’s 28-point Ukraine peace plan in full
Analysis: We could all pay if Europe doesn’t guarantee Ukraine’s security
Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a plenary session on the first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Pic: Reuters
“There is only one country around the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and one country that is deploying a barrage of drones and missiles to destroy livelihoods and murder innocent civilians,” he said on Friday evening.
“Time and again, Russia pretends to be serious about peace, but its actions never live up to its words.”
Pic: AP
On the Trump plan, the prime minister said allies are meetin on Saturday “to discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of Trump’s push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations”.
Strengthening the plan really means that they want to rebalance it towards Ukraine’s position and make it tougher on Russia.
“Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while Russia has stalled and continued its murderous rampage. That is why we must all work together with both the US and Ukraine, to secure a just and lasting peace once and for all,” said the prime minister.
“We will continue to coordinate closely with Washington and Kyiv to achieve that. However, we cannot simply wait for peace.
“We must strain every sinew to secure it. We must cut off Putin’s finance flows by ending our reliance on Russian gas. It won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing to do.”
Pic: AP
Europeans hadn’t even seen this deal earlier in the week, in a sign that the US is cutting other allies out of negotiations – for now at least.
Starmer and other European leaders want to get to a position where Ukraine and Europe are at least at the table.
There is some discussion about whether European leaders such as Macron and Meloni might travel to Washington to speak to Trump early next week in order to persuade him of the European and Ukrainian perspective, as leaders did last August following the US-Russian summit in Alaska.
But Sky News understands there are no discussions about the PM travelling to Washington next week ahead of the budget.
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