A clear message to the West was sent by Russian president Vladimir Putin on May 9, 2026 from Red Square in Moscow during the Victory Parade for the 81 years since the military triumph of the USSR over Nazi Germany. The world is changing and the era of unipolar dominance is ending, Putin underlined. During the grandiose military parade for the 81st anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian president presented his vision for a new global architecture based on multipolarity, national sovereignty, and indivisible security.
Each nation will be able to define its own destiny – The multipolar world must be based on the principles of the UN Charter
According to Putin, the emerging multipolar world must be based on the principles of the UN Charter and on the equality of all states, without exceptions and the "chosen ones" of the West. His statement constitutes a direct challenge to American hegemony and the policy of blocs which, as Moscow claims, leads humanity into new conflicts. The Russian leader emphasized that every nation has the right to determine its own destiny, protect its traditions, and preserve its cultural and historical identity. This is a position that comes in complete contrast to what Russia characterizes as the "globalist ideological imposition" of the West.
The West is trying to rewrite history
The parade in Red Square had strong symbolism. The sounds of the "Sacred War" accompanied the entrance of the Russian flag and the Soviet banner, reminding that it was the Soviet people who crushed Nazism, paying the heaviest price in human history.
Putin characterized Victory Day as the "holiest holiday" of Russia and underlined that the historical truth about World War II is today receiving a systematic attack by Western governments attempting to rewrite history.
Moscow considers that the falsification of history is used as a political tool to weaken Russia and downgrade the decisive role of the Soviet Union in saving Europe from fascism. For this reason, Putin stated that Russia and its allies have a shared responsibility to defend the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War.
Ukraine an aggressive force with NATO support
Of particular significance was also his reference to the special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian president directly linked today's struggle of the Russian forces with the anti-fascist struggle of 1941 to 1945, stating that Russian soldiers "stand against an aggressive force that is armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc."
This phrase captures the strategic position of Moscow that the conflict in Ukraine is not a local war, but part of a wider geopolitical confrontation between Russia and the West. "Victory was and will always be ours," stated Putin as columns of troops lined up in the square. "The key to success is our moral strength, courage and valor, our unity, and our ability to endure everything and overcome every challenge," he noted.
Soldiers from North Korea stood out in the Victory Parade
The participation of soldiers from North Korea in the ceremonial units, as well as the presence of unmanned systems units, showed that Russia seeks to present an image of international allied cohesion and technological adaptation to new forms of warfare.
Despite the absence of heavy military equipment from the parade, due to security threats from Ukraine, Russian television broadcast images from the action of Russian forces on the front, reinforcing the patriotic message of the day.
The living legend of Victory next to Putin
One of the most moving moments of this year's parade in Red Square was the presence of the veteran of the Red Army, Konstantin Fedotov, who watched the events next to Vladimir Putin. Fedotov is not simply a veteran of the Great Patriotic War. he is a living witness of history and one of the soldiers who participated in the historic Victory Parade in Red Square on June 24, 1945. The veteran, who turned 100 years old on March 22, embodies the generation that crushed Nazism and saved Europe from fascist barbarity. He was conscripted in the autumn of 1943, trained at the junior commanders' school, and in April 1944 was sent to the 2nd Belorussian Front. As a reconnaissance fighter of the 139th division, he participated in the liberation of Belarus and Poland, reaching as far as the Elbe River, where Soviet forces met with the Allies at the end of the war. His presence next to Putin during the parade had deep symbolism: it was the bridge between the generation of the Great Victory and modern Russia.
The memory of the epic
Moscow seeks to preserve the memory of that epic alive, particularly in a period where, according to the Russian perception, the West is attempting to downgrade or rewrite the role of the Soviet Union in World War II. The image of the centenarian veteran next to the Russian president functioned as a reminder that historical memory remains a foundation of the Russian national identity. The parade concluded with an impressive air show of six Su-25 attack aircraft, which painted the sky of Moscow with the colors of the Russian flag. It was a finale full of symbolism, national pride, and a message of continuity between the past, present, and future of Russia.
Dignified and calm parade without excessive militarization
Following the completion of the celebrations in Red Square, Vladimir Putin characterized the Victory Parade as "dignified and calm," sending a clear political message to both the domestic and international community. During an informal conversation with the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Russian president underlined that the events took place without excessive militarization, despite the difficult international environment and the ongoing tension with the West. "Everything unfolded with dignity, calmly, without excessive militarization," stated Putin, seeking to present Russia not as a force of aggression, but as a state that honors the history and sacrifices of its people with respect and self-restraint.
This specific position gains particular significance in a period where Western media and governments systematically attempt to present Russia as an exclusively military threat. Through the simple but deeply symbolic parade, the Kremlin wanted to highlight primarily historical memory, national unity, and the continuity of the Russian state tradition. The presence of the Slovak Prime Minister next to the Russian president also had weighty political significance. Despite pressures from the European Union and NATO, Fico maintains a more independent stance towards Moscow, supporting the need for dialogue and rejecting the policy of extreme escalation.
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