“Russia’s May 9 Parade Reveals Military Priorities Despite Criticism, Says British Intelligence”

British military intelligence admits that Russia could show more armor at the May 9 parade in Moscow, but the Kremlin was afraid of criticism from within the country.

Source: report UK Department of Defense intelligence for 10 May

Literally: “On May 9, 2023, the line-up for the annual Victory Day parade on Red Square in Russia highlighted the logistical and strategic communications challenges facing the military 15 months after the start of the war in Ukraine.”

Details: More than 8,000 military personnel reportedly took part in the parade, but most of them were auxiliary, paramilitary forces and cadets of military schools.

The only personnel from the deployed formations of the regular troops were the contingents of the railway troops and the military police.

The only tank in the parade was an old T-34 from the front.

Literally: “Despite heavy losses in Ukraine, Russia could have fielded more armored vehicles. The authorities probably refrained from doing so because they want to avoid internal criticism regarding the priority of parades over combat.”

This was preceded by: May 9 TASS informedthat “the latest Z-STS Akhmat and AMN-590951 Spartak armored vehicles entered Red Square in Moscow during the parade in honor of the 78th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War … after the T-34 tanks”, although the tank was only seen one.

Military aviation was not shown at the parade in Moscow for the second year in a row.

background:

• Despite fierce fighting and huge losses in the war against Ukraine, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin held a parade in Moscow on May 9, 2023. Aircraft did not participate in it, as in 2022, and from the tracked vehicles there was only one T-34 tank from the Second World War.
• During his speech at the parade, Putin lied that there were no hostile countries for Russia and that she wanted to see a future of peace and freedom. But he acknowledged that the most important thing for him now is the war in Ukraine.
• According to TASS, on May 9, “more than 12,000 fireworks adorned the sky of Moscow in honor of Victory Day.”
• Despite the war, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, as well as the prime minister of Armenia, agreed to come to Putin’s parade this year.
• The Ministry of Ukraine considers the participation of the leaders of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the Russian “victory parade” in Moscow next to the war criminal Vladimir Putin an immoral and unfriendly step