Putin and President Xi Jinping prepare to watch Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow as Ukraine says “the safety of those participating” – Experts warn “World War II” within a year

Vladimir Putin is preparing to oversee the massive military parade in Moscow, as Russia marks the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

29 leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will participate in the highly anticipated Victory Day parade today.

They will stare at the tribe of Russian soldiers, roar at the ancient marching songs, roar at their commanders, and drive military hardware – including intercontinental ballistic missiles – past a mausoleum containing the body of Soviet father Vladimir Lenin.

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov or another senior military official will inspect the troops and then Putin will come to power to deliver an exciting speech.

The fighter planes will then soar in the Russian tricolor white, blue and red to parade with bridles.

Putin hopes that this day will be one of the grand occasions, situations and patriotism.

But his opposing figure in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been sowing concerns in the Russian capital, believing that the Victory Day process may not end, saying he cannot “guarantee the safety of any world leaders who choose to participate”.

Ukraine attacked Moscow this week with drones, with Moscow and Kief accusing each other of violating Putin’s 72-hour ceasefire announced.

The Kremlin said Russian allies, such as Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and dozens of leaders from the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, Asia and Latin America, also show that even Moscow’s former WW2 Western allies want to stay away from Russia.

Serbia and Slovakia are leaders from Europe.

“The victory of fascism at the cost of great sacrifices is of eternal significance,” Putin said in the Kremlin. “The countless sacrifices made by our two peoples should never be forgotten.”

Russian waiters advance column before military parade on Victory Day, the 80th anniversary of defeating Nazi Germany in World War II

Russian tanks moved along a bridge along the front of the military parade on the day of victory, the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II in Moscow, Russia on May 9, 2025.

Russian tanks travel along the road ahead of the military parade on the day of victory, the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025

Previous Victory Day celebrations have sent thousands of military soldiers across Moscow’s red square side by armoured vehicles, tanks and nuclear weapons as the Russian president and his inner circle.

This year’s march is expected to be even more grand to mark the final 80th anniversary of what the Russians call the Great Patriotic War, which is the level of sacrifice required to defeat Hitler.

The efforts to defeat the Nazis – about 26 million Soviets were killed by conservative estimates – played an extremely important role in the Russian collective consciousness and were leveraged by Putin and the Kremlin to support the support for the Ukrainian war to the greatest extent.

The days of victory were so crucial for the Kremlin that the Russian president declared a three-day ceasefire in the war in Ukraine from May 8 to 10 to protect the celebration.

All mobile network and Internet data transmissions have been cut off in central Moscow, an additional security measure.

But Zelensky’s people were futile by Russian missiles and killer drones targets, and for more than three years, he completely rejected the offer for the truce and warned that Moscow could be threatened by air strikes.

As if to prove his point, Ukraine released more than 100 waves of drones in western Russia earlier this week, forcing all four Moscow airports to close or cancel flights even as Russian soldiers and women conducted rehearsal exercises a day ago.

“Our position is very simple for all countries traveling to Russia on May 9: We are not responsible for what is happening on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said.

As Russia prepares to showcase its best military technology today, a leading European intelligence official warned that Moscow is preparing to fight a major war.

Dutch Military Intelligence Chief [MIVD] Deputy Vice-President Peter Reesink warned: “Russia produces much more artillery with the help of other countries than the war with Ukraine.”

He told Politico that Putin was not only replenishing exhausted stocks, but could also transfer new artillery troops to NATO borders, including the Baltic states and Finland.

“This is a sign for us that they are growing their abilities”.

As Russia prepares to host today’s march, EU foreign ministers gather in Ukraine to agree to a special war crime court intending to work to keep Putin and nearly twenty other Russian leaders in captivity.

‘There will be no one who is impunity. Senior EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said he would be responsible for the crimes committed.

She said: “I want to emphasize that no one who truly supports peace can stand side by side with Putin, who criticized the Putin leader in Moscow, who has begun this full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine…

“The people who really support peace should be in Ukraine rather than Moscow.”

The EU has also announced a major new aid package for Ukraine.

A man installed a scooter and read “Heroic City Moscow 1945 2025” in front of the inscription to commemorate the upcoming Victory Day in Moscow, Russia

Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM and Mikoyan Mig-29 jet fighter, followed by Su-25 fighter bomber flying over the red square

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Victory Day pStreet events were held nationwide, with street parties and parades almost 4,000 miles from Vladivostok from Moscow.

Although few veterans of the Great Patriotic War remained alive after Berlin fell into the Red Army 80 years after Berlin fell into the Red Army, defeating Nazi Germany was still the most important and respected symbol of the Soviet Union and Russian military power.

Nazi forces invaded most of the Western Soviet Union in June 1941 and were then driven back to Berlin, where the Soviet hammer and sickle flags were raised above the capital of destruction.

The United States, Britain, France and other allies marked the end of the war in Europe on May 8.

In 2024, thousands of Russian soldiers marched through the Red Square to pay tribute to their leaders, followed by the terrifying YARS nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launcher, showing off classic nuclear energy.

But for more than two years in the Ukrainian War, last year’s parade clearly lacked military hardware.

A lonely World War II era tank was trapped in the center of Moscow, accompanied by several mobile rocket launchers.

This year, Putin is committed to showing that Russia’s military strength has not decreased, and the production level of artillery and other ammunition suggests that Russia is ensuring an indefinite war.

Some Russian experts fear Putin is now dependent on the war economy and cannot stop his military dependence.

Russian “YARS” intercontinental ballistic missile launcher participated in the Victory Japanese military parade in Moscow, Russia on May 9, 2024

A lonely Soviet-era T-34 tank, a flag with dangerous flags during a military parade in Moscow, Russia, in Moscow, Russia on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

Russian soldiers marched during a Victory Japanese military parade in Moscow, Russia on Thursday, May 9, 2024 to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II

The enormous suffering and sacrifice of cities such as Stalingrad, Kursk and Putin’s local Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) remains a powerful symbol of the country’s ability to occupy what seems to be overwhelming challenges.

Since taking office on May 9, Putin became an important part of his political agenda, which contained military power.

As the veteran of the medal reviewed the parade with him, tanks and missile posts roared across the red square and squadrons of fighters.

Many people wear black and orange St. George ribbons traditionally associated with Victory Day.

Putin often talks about his family history and shares memories of his father, who was seriously injured in fighting on the front line during the Nazi siege.

As Putin said, his father, also known as Vladimir, returned home from a military hospital during the war and watched workers try to take his wife, Maria, who was declared hungry.

But Elder Putin didn’t think she was dead – said she was only unconscious and hungry and powerless.

Their first child, Viktor, died in a siege match, when he was 3 years old, one of the 1 million Leningrad residents, who died in an 872-day lockdown, most of whom were hungry.

For several years Putin carried photos of his father during the parade on the day of victory—the others respected relatives of veterans—in the so-called “Immortal Corps.”

The demonstrations were suspended during the coronavirus pandemic and were then worried again after the battle in Ukraine began.