UK Defence Intelligence explains why there were so few armoured vehicles at Moscow parade

UK Defence Intelligence has suggested that Russia could have displayed more armoured vehicles at the 9 May Victory Day parade in Moscow, but the Kremlin feared domestic criticism.

Source: Intelligence report from UK Ministry of Defence on 10 May

Quote: "On 09 May 2023, the make-up of Russia’s annual Victory Day Parade in Red Square highlighted the materiel and strategic communications challenges the military is facing 15 months into the war in Ukraine."

Details: Over 8,000 military personnel reportedly participated in the parade, but most were auxiliary, paramilitary forces and cadets from military schools.

The only personnel from the deployable regular troops were the Railway Troops and military police.

The sole tank on the parade was a vintage World War II-era T-34 from a ceremonial unit.

Quote: "Despite heavy losses in Ukraine, Russia could have fielded more armoured vehicles. The authorities likely refrained from doing so because they want to avoid domestic criticism about prioritising parades over combat operations."

Previously: On 9 May, Kremlin-aligned news agency TASS reported that "the latest Z-STS Akhmat and AMN-590951 Spartak armoured vehicles entered the Red Square in Moscow during the parade in honour of the 78th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War... after T-34 [World War II-era] tanks", although only one tank was seen.

Military aircraft have not been displayed at the parade in Moscow for the second year in a row.

Background:

• Russian dictator Vladimir Putin held a parade in Moscow on 9 May 2023, despite fierce fighting and huge losses in the war against Ukraine. No aircraft took part in it, as in 2022, and there was only one tracked vehicle, a Second World War-era T-34 tank.
• Russian dictator Vladimir Putin told a succession of lies during his speech at the Victory Day parade, claiming that Russia has no enemies among other countries and wants to see a peaceful and free future. However, he acknowledged that the war in Ukraine is the most important matter today.
• According to Kremlin-aligned news agency TASS, "over 12,000 fireworks decorated Moscow's sky in honour of Victory Day" on 9 May.
• This year, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and the prime minister of Armenia agreed to attend Putin's parade despite the war.
• Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry considers the participation of the leaders of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the Russian "victory parade" in Moscow alongside war criminal Vladimir Putin to be an immoral and unfriendly step.

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