North Korean troops joined in on Russia’s scaled-back Victory Day parade.
The militaristic event marks the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s help in defeating Nazi Germany, but this year the proceedings were noticeably more muted than usual. What is normally a grand spectacle of power was quite brief, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s appearance came amid a significant security presence.
“Victory has always been and will be ours,” he declared to his troops, adding that he will continue the war in Ukraine against “an aggressive force that is armed and supported by the entire bloc of NATO.”
North Korean troops could be seen marching in the parade.
Watch:
North Korean troops march in Moscow at Russia’s Victory Day Parade.#VictoryDay pic.twitter.com/6YO6ftsRmr
— Record GBA (@RecordGBA) May 9, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured Russia on Friday that he would not issue a military strike on Moscow’s Red Square, because he was too concerned about the return of Ukrainian prisoners under the ceasefire deal.
Look:
In recent days, there have been many appeals and signals regarding the setup for tomorrow in Moscow in connection with our Ukrainian long-range sanctions. The principle of symmetry in our actions is well known and has been clearly communicated to the Russian side. An additional…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 8, 2026
“In recent days, there have been many appeals and signals regarding the setup for tomorrow in Moscow in connection with our Ukrainian long-range sanctions. The principle of symmetry in our actions is well known and has been clearly communicated to the Russian side. An additional argument for Ukraine in determining our position has always been the resolution of one of the key humanitarian issues of this war – namely, the release of prisoners of war. Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home,” he wrote. “That is why today, within the framework of the negotiating process mediated by the American side, we received Russia’s agreement to conduct a prisoner exchange in the format of 1,000 for 1,000. A ceasefire regime must also be established on May 9, 10, and 11. Ukraine is consistently working to bring its people home from Russian captivity. I have instructed our team to promptly prepare everything necessary for the exchange.”
“I thank the President of the United States and his team for their productive diplomatic involvement. We expect the United States to ensure that the Russian side fulfills these agreements. Glory to Ukraine!” he added.
