April 21, 2024

No Victory for Russian Regions


No Victory for Russian Regions
A Victory Day parade in Moscow, in previous years. The Russian Life files.

The heads of multiple Russian regions and Russia-occupied Crimea have announced that they will not be hosting Victory Day military or Immortal Regiment parades, saying that the events are security risks.

Leaders of Bryansk, Ryazan, Pskov, and Saratov regions, as well as the Crimean territory Russia has been occupying since 2014, have all canceled this year's May 9 celebrations. In addition, Stavropol and Omsk regions will forgo fireworks this year.

Victory Day is Russia's major patriotic holiday, the equivalent of America's July 4. May 9 marks the victory over the Axis Powers in the Second World War and is honored with military parades and the Immortal Regiment, a memorial procession in which participants carry photos and relics of relatives who served in the war.

While Moscow is going ahead with its plans for its usual large parade, security concerns elsewhere likely stem from the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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