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EMILY FENG, HOST:
Today, Russia held events commemorating the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. The celebrations on Red Square were scaled back amid concerns over Ukrainian drone strikes. That is despite a last-minute ceasefire negotiated by the U.S. and that largely appeared to be holding. Joining us to talk about it is NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Welcome, Charles.
CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: Hi, Emily.
FENG: So you were in Moscow today, right, Charles? What was it like today?
MAYNES: Well, you know, much of the scene was familiar, including the location - of course, Red Square - the goose-stepping soldiers and Vladimir Putin, who has traditionally used this event to highlight Russia's rising military might. And yet, for the first time in nearly 20 years, this victory day parade featured no tanks, no missiles, no nuclear launchers. Guests were few. Media was restricted, including NPR. My invitation was revoked at the last minute. And all of this was a reflection of the Kremlin's concerns over security and, in particular, over potential Ukrainian drone strikes interrupting the proceedings.
FENG: So it sounds like it was a seriously scaled-down event, but it proceeded without incident.
MAYNES: Yeah, that's right. You know, both Moscow and Kyiv agreed to a last-minute three-day ceasefire that was negotiated by President Trump and included a prisoner swap, which seems to have been what convinced President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine to go along with it. He said the return of 1,000 Ukrainian POWs was far more important than whether any parade happened in Moscow, although he did provide the Kremlin's coordinates when instructing his military not to strike. Russia also accused Ukraine of some ceasefire violations elsewhere around the country. But again, the main fear was of something happening in Moscow, which Russia vowed would then justify a massive attack on Kyiv.
FENG: So President Putin was there. Did he have anything to say?
MAYNES: Yeah, he paid his usual tribute to the Soviet sacrifice, what Putin called Russian character in liberating Europe from fascism. Yet it was combative speech in many ways, such as when he made absolutely clear Russia's military operations in Ukraine would resume.
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PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN: (Speaking Russian).
MAYNES: So here Putin says Russian forces today are inspired by the Soviet victory as they confront an aggressive Ukraine backed by NATO, adding, despite this, "our heroes are advancing."
FENG: And are they? - advancing, I mean.
MAYNES: Well, not always, and when they do, it's been pretty incremental, but Russians wouldn't know that from today. The broadcast of the parade cut to video montages of Russian soldiers manning tanks and warships and nuclear missiles, drones and such in Ukraine, clearly designed to highlight Russia's invincibility.
The images also underscored an uncomfortable truth. You know, what Putin calls a special military operation against supposed fascists in modern-day Ukraine has now dragged on longer than the Soviet campaign against Nazis that inspired it.
FENG: Wow.
MAYNES: So, you know, one's a victory celebration - the other, arguably, a quagmire.
FENG: A quagmire - Charles, we are now in the fifth year of the war in Ukraine. Is there any sense of Putin wanting out?
MAYNES: Well, this parade took place under the shadow of growing dissatisfaction with the war - the economy and restrictions at home, including internet blackouts that even state polling shows are chipping away at Putin's ratings. But if that was a concern, the Russian leader certainly didn't let on. He said the country remains united behind a war effort that he says is just and will lead to victory, even if critics say there's no end in sight.
FENG: That is NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Thank you.
MAYNES: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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