2023 Moscow Victory Day Parade

The event was scaled down due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine amidst an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin issued by the International Criminal Court in March 2023.

[1] Victory Day is a significant secular holiday in Russia that commemorates Germany's surrender in World War II, which marked the end of one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.

The holiday celebrates the military might and moral fortitude of the Red Army, which suffered enormous losses in the war, with at least 20 million Soviet citizens losing their lives.

[2] In his speech to the Russian audience, Putin claimed that Russia is the defender of peace, freedom, and stability, saying that "We believe that any ideology of superiority is inherently disgusting, criminal and deadly."

Putin accused "Western globalist elites" for "provoking bloody conflicts and upheaval," professing an "aggressive nationalism," sowing hatred and Russophobia, and destroying traditional family values.