'Russia's Power' Boasted but Only One Tank... Putin Becomes a Laughingstock

Dramatically Shrunk Russian Victory Day Parade
"Troop and Equipment Depletion Due to Ukraine War"

Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day parade on the 9th (local time), intended to showcase military strength, was held at a significantly more modest level compared to previous years, becoming a subject of global ridicule.

Unlike previous events that boasted a dazzling procession of modern tanks, this time only a single 80-year-old T-34 tank appeared.

US media outlets Forbes and Business Insider reported, "Only one tank appeared in the Victory Day parade, leading to ridicule of Russian President Vladimir Putin." Victory Day in Russia is celebrated annually on May 9th, commemorating the day in 1945 when the former Soviet Union accepted the surrender of Nazi Germany in World War II.

On the 9th (local time), a Soviet-made 'vintage tank' T-34 appeared alone at the Russian Victory Day parade.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the Russian agency Agentstvo, the parade held at Moscow's Red Square that day involved 8,000 troops, marking the smallest scale since 2008.

The parade troop size, which was 14,000 in 2020, had already decreased to 11,000 last year when President Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Newsweek explained that the security concerns arising from Russia's significant losses in personnel and equipment during the Ukraine war led to cancellations and reductions of Victory Day events across the country.

Photos taken at the Red Square parade show only one T-34 tank passing along an empty road. People worldwide and netizens posted mocking comments on social media after seeing this.

President Putin delivering a speech at the Russian Victory Day parade
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, claimed, "There were no modern tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, or military aircraft at the Moscow parade," adding, "It was the smallest Victory Day event ever." He continued, "Only one T-34 tank from World War II was present," and "Those mobilized for the event were cadets and students, not military staff officers."

Serhiy Sumbrenko, an Eastern Europe expert, wrote, "The only tank the Russian army brought to today's Victory Day event was from World War II," describing it as "like a parade of a third-rate dictatorship."

The Twitter account 'Tendar,' which provides information related to the Ukraine war, called it "the most humiliating parade seen in Moscow," adding, "Honestly, it's so pathetic that I can't stop laughing." They also said, "Russia must have deployed all possible equipment to the front lines," and "Ukraine has completely put Russia in crisis."

Forbes explained, "Because Russia lost a significant amount of equipment in the Ukraine war, the number of tanks deployed in the event likely decreased," adding, "It seems there were no spare modern tanks available to showcase in the parade."

The media noted, "The Kremlin has made considerable efforts to secure military vehicles for national events, including purchasing about 20 outdated tanks in 2019." It added, "So why didn't Russia deploy more T-34 tanks? Because Russia has lost not only tanks but also many tank crews on the battlefield."

Soviet-made 'Vintage Tank' T-34 Alone in Red Square [Image Source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, unlike previous years, the Russian Ministry of Defense did not release any information regarding the composition of the parade march.

Newsweek reported that only leaders from former Soviet states maintaining close relations with Russia?Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan?attended the Victory Day parade.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, which has repeatedly mentioned shortages of ammunition for the front lines, responded, "It is questionable what exactly we are celebrating."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.