Atlantic Council: Putin cancels Victory Day parades as Ukraine invasion continues to unravel
With Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations less than one month away, the Kremlin has taken the highly unusual step of canceling a number of military parades in regional capitals. Scheduled parades to mark the World War II Soviet victory over Nazi Germany have been called off in Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, which both border Ukraine. Victory Day celebrations in Russian-occupied Crimea have also reportedly been scrapped.
The cancellations are officially due to security concerns related to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, numerous commentators have speculated that Moscow is also increasingly short of tanks and is understandably eager to avoid highlighting the scale of the losses suffered by the Russian army in Ukraine. Whether the real reason is security issues or equipment shortages, the decision to cancel this year’s Victory Day parades represents a painful blow for Vladimir Putin that hints at the grim reality behind Moscow’s upbeat propaganda portrayals of his faltering Ukraine invasion.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: There is a lot of speculation from Western media sources on why this year's Victory Day celebrations got cancelled in a number of regional capitals. Not enough tanks/equipment and security concerns are often cited. I think the reason why these parades were cancelled is more basic. Everyone's focus in Russia right now is on winning the war, and not on having a parade.
Update: It is not only the Victory Day parades that are being cancelled .... May 1 parade in Moscow cancelled due to "terror attacks" threat (The New Voice of Ukraine).
No comments:
Post a Comment