Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he thought the Ukraine conflict was coming to an end.
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the most serious crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when many people feared the world was on the brink of nuclear war.
"I think that the matter is coming to an end," Putin told reporters of the Ukraine war.
The Financial Times reported on Thursday that European Union leaders were preparing for potential talks.
Asked if he was willing to engage in talks with the Europeans, he said the preferable figure for him was former Germany's Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
The Kremlin said last week that it was for European governments to make the first move, as they were the ones who severed contact with Moscow in 2022 after the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that he hoped that the Iran conflict would end as soon as possible but that if it did not then everyone would lose out.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would be prepared to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country, but only once a lasting peace agreement has been reached.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to peace with Azerbaijan in a statement marking Victory and Peace Day on 9 May.
In his address, Pashinyan paid tribute to Armenians who fought and died during the Second World War, while warning that the modern world still faces threats from fascism, totalitarianism and ideologies built on domination and conflict. He said Armenia had chosen a different course focused on democracy, freedom and regional peace.
The Armenian prime minister stressed that this path is difficult but necessary, adding that the country must carefully reflect on its history while concentrating on building a stable and prosperous future. Referring to his “Real Armenia” doctrine, Pashinyan said the priority should be strengthening the modern Armenian state and ensuring its long-term development and security.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to normalise relations with Azerbaijan, noting that the draft peace agreement between the two countries has been finalised and is now awaiting signing. According to Pashinyan, the region deserves a peaceful and prosperous future after decades of instability.
“Despite all domestic and foreign provocations, there will be no war between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, there will be peace,” he said.
Pashinyan concluded the statement by honouring fallen soldiers and expressing support for the continued development of the Armenian state.
Russia is considering delivery of a first oil product cargo to Laos, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the Izvestia news outlet on Saturday.
Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith earlier on Saturday met Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin as part of Russia's Victory Day celebrations.
Asian countries including Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka have been lining up to buy Russian oil as the Iran war blocks supplies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts foreign leaders including Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith after Victory Day parade.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico during talks at the Kremlin that Russia would do everything possible to meet Slovakia’s energy needs.
The remarks come as European countries continue to navigate energy security concerns and supply disruptions linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions and sanctions on Moscow.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said Ukraine had repeatedly violated a Russian-declared ceasefire on May 8, while insisting Moscow was continuing to observe a three-day truce on the occasion of Victory Day.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has accused Russian forces of breaching a separate ceasefire declared by Kyiv earlier this week, with both sides trading allegations amid ongoing fighting.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Saturday (9 May) that the ceasefire agreement in Ukraine is intended to last for three days only and is not expected to be extended beyond that period.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that there remains “a very long way to go” before any peace agreement can be reached between Russia and Ukraine, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS.
The remarks come despite renewed international calls for ceasefires around the Victory Day commemorations and ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the United States and European leaders.
The annual parade on Red Square, marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, is Russia’s most important national holiday and traditionally showcases military power.
However, this year’s event will proceed without tanks or heavy military equipment, a rare departure from previous displays of armour and missile systems.
Yuri Ushakov said the programme would otherwise remain largely unchanged, with troops marching through Red Square, aircraft flying overhead, and President Vladimir Putin delivering a speech and laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The reduction in military hardware on display comes amid concerns over possible Ukrainian attacks on Moscow during the commemorations.
The Kremlin has warned of a strong response to any disruption, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a symbolic decree suggesting Ukrainian forces would not target the parade.
Moscow is protected by layered air defences and electronic warfare systems designed to intercept drones and missiles.
The Victory Day parade commemorates the end of the Second World War in Europe, when Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender took effect late on 8 May 1945, becoming 9 May in Moscow time.
This year’s event takes place against the backdrop of a prolonged and costly war in Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and severely strained Russia’s economy and international relations.
Analysts say the conflict has reshaped the symbolism of Victory Day, with the war in Ukraine increasingly influencing public messaging and security arrangements.
Leaders from Belarus, Malaysia, and Laos are expected to attend the event, while most Western countries continue to boycott the event amid strained relations over the Ukraine war.
U.S. President Donald Trump has recently called for an extension of a temporary ceasefire linked to the commemorations, though fighting between Russia and Ukraine has continued despite repeated truce announcements.
The reduced scale of this year’s parade highlights both the security pressures facing Moscow and the broader geopolitical isolation Russia faces more than four years into the conflict.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted three tankers and stopped them in Iran's southern waters early on Wednesday. It also announced a ballistic missile attack on two U.S. bases in Jordan.
On 29 July, AnewZ's Daybreak focused on meetings involving Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Benjamin Netanyahu, escalating tensions in the Middle East following U.S. military action, and the funeral of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
The European Union has added Russian energy company Inter RAO to its latest sanctions package, raising questions over the future of Georgia's power sector. The move could have implications for electricity supplies in Tbilisi because of the company's indirect ownership of key energy assets.
Russia’s largest retailer Wildberries has begun searching for warehouse space in Kazakhstan, Moscow’s Kommersant newspaper has reported, citing sources in the real estate market. It comes after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged around 10 per cent of the online marketplace's logistics hubs in Russia.
Yerevan has seen a surge in Russians seeking apartments ahead of Moscow's parliamentary elections in September and amid rumours of mass mobilisation, Russian-language publication Verstka has reported, citing anecdotal evidence from local estate agents.
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