The May 9 Victory Day parade annually showcases Russia's military might, but this year Russian leader Vladimir Putin held an extremely subdued parade in Moscow, with far fewer missiles and other weapons.
According to The Wall Street Journal, if Putin really feared attacks by Ukrainian long-range drones, it's another sign that things could be turning against Russia in the fifth year of the war.
The Institute for the Study of War previously reported that Russian troops were performing worse on the battlefield in the spring of 2026 than they had in 2025, noting that Ukraine had regained more territory from Russian forces than it had lost in April.
At the same time, Ukraine is increasingly capable of striking important targets deep inside Russia with drones and missiles - oil production facilities, weapons depots and other military facilities.
“This explains Mr. Putin’s reluctance to display Russian military power on Red Square“, the publication emphasizes.
And although Putin has declared that the war is “ending”, this will only be credible when he stops bombing Ukrainian cities and stops making demands on Ukraine. The newspaper emphasizes that Russia must cede more territory that it has failed to seize by force.
“Only the prospect of heavy losses and possible defeat will force Putin to abandon his imperial ambitions in Ukraine and Western Europe. "This is the best way to end the war on terms that are decent for Ukraine," the article notes.
Putin has previously tried to explain away the lack of military equipment at the parade in Moscow. According to him, the decision not to bring any equipment was made not only for security reasons, but also "in order to focus on the defeat of Ukrainian forces."