MOSCOW — On Friday (May 9), Russia commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II with a military parade in Moscow, attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Amid concerns that Ukraine may attempt to disrupt the event after three years of ongoing conflict, heightened security measures are in place. President Vladimir Putin, Russia's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin, is scheduled to address the nation during the parade at 0700 GMT (3pm SGT). The celebration traditionally features thousands of Russian troops marching through Red Square, showcasing military equipment including intercontinental ballistic missiles and tanks in front of Lenin's Mausoleum.

However, this year’s celebration is overshadowed by the ongoing war in Ukraine, the bloodiest conflict in Europe since WWII. In the lead-up to the event, Ukraine launched several drone attacks on Moscow, and both countries accused each other of violating a 72-hour ceasefire announced by Putin. Despite being shunned by many of Russia’s former Western allies, the Kremlin underscores the presence of leaders from China, Brazil, several post-Soviet republics, and nations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America as proof that Russia remains globally connected. Serbia and Slovakia will be the only European countries represented.

During a meeting with Xi, Putin emphasized the lasting importance of WWII, stating, “The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, has an everlasting significance.” He stressed the need to remember the heavy losses suffered by both Russian and Chinese people. The Soviet Union lost an estimated 27 million lives in WWII, including many in Ukraine, before ultimately defeating Nazi Germany in Berlin in 1945.

May 9 remains a deeply significant day for Russians and many from the former Soviet Union. Putin has frequently invoked the memory of WWII to foster national unity, especially in the face of criticism from the West, which he claims seeks to downplay Soviet contributions. China, too, recalls deep wartime suffering, with historians noting 35 million Chinese casualties during the 1937–1945 war against Japan. The occupation caused the displacement of tens of millions and economic devastation, including atrocities like the Nanjing Massacre, where between 100,000 and 300,000 civilians were killed.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine releases verified casualty figures from the ongoing war, though former U.S. President Donald Trump has estimated hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides have been killed or wounded. While Putin has tried to keep Moscow shielded from the frontline violence occurring around 600km away in Ukraine, recent drone strikes have impacted flights to the capital. The Kremlin insists the military is taking all necessary precautions to secure the parade route, particularly following a 2023 drone attack targeting the Kremlin.

Thirteen countries, including China, will have troops participating in the parade, though it remains unclear how North Korea — a military supporter of Russia — will be represented. Meanwhile in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged continued support from international allies, asserting that Russia now controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory. Speaking to the Kyiv Post, Zelensky condemned the Moscow parade, calling it “a parade of cynicism... of bile and lies,” and stressed, “Evil cannot be appeased. It must be fought.”