Posted on 05/09/2023 2:35:18 PM PDT by marcusmaximus
Vladimir Putin’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow meant to showcase Russia’s military might failed to impress Tuesday, with critics poking fun at the lone World War II-era tank that was seen rolling forlornly through Red Square.
The event celebrating Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 was a drastically pared-down affair compared to years past, featuring a mere 8,000 soldiers — the lowest number since 2008.
Even the procession in 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, featured some 13,000 soldiers. Last May, more than a month into the invasion of Ukraine, 11,000 troops took part in the parade.
This time, there was no fly-over of fighter jets, and the entire event lasted less than the usual hour.
Instead of phalanxes of modern battle tanks thundering through the center of Russia’s capital, a lone 83-year-old T-34 tank flying a red flag trundled through Moscow’s main square under Putin’s watchful gaze.
“This is weak. There are no tanks,” said spectator Yelena Orlova. “We’re upset, but that’s all right; it will be better in the future.”
For comparison, last year’s parade featured some of Russia’s newer tanks, a T-14 Armata and a T-74.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
All the picture needs is someone standing in front of the tank and refusing to let it move forward.
It is a simple measure of respect for each unsung Hero of the Soviet Union.
Contrast this with the military march that was part of the coronation of Charles III, up to and including the colorful flyover and the in-unison three cheers, in a rainstorm. Britain is a second-rate power, which makes Russia look like a tenth-rate power with nukes.
Maybe it’s just way ahead like Secretariat at the Belmont.
Lolzzz...... This works for Vlad. This shows Vlad is serious. So serious for the Great Patriotic Ruzzian Sheeple, that all Ruzzian tanks are over in Ukraine.
The absence of modern tanks in the parade is another matter.
Putin speech was 10 minutes. Shortest in history.
This could really hurt with the Russian people.
The citizens must have discussions and arguments over what they see on the internet about how the invasion is going, about the massive draft, about the 100s of thousands of males pulled from Russia, and the sanctions, and then they see this.
This is bound to have an effect on Russian morale and suspicions.
> critics poking fun at the lone World War II-era tank that was seen rolling forlornly through Red Square <
Once again, Putin is being unfairly criticized. Consider this. Napoleon held many victory parades. And not a single tank was ever present. Not even one.
This is such clear disinfo. They’re just waiting for the Ukrainians to fall for it and commit.
It’s a bit of a side point, but Britain and France stupidly drove the USSR into a pact with Germany.
The Soviets should have been invited to the 1938 Munich conference. After all, the Sudetenland was much closer to the USSR than it was to Britain or France. Yet Stalin was snubbed.
So Stalin figured that if he didn’t ally with Hitler, he might be next. Germany would invade the USSR, and the western allies would do nothing. That turned out to be faulty reasoning. But it made good sense at the time.
This is like seeing a Model T as an Indy pace car...it’s pathetic.
Yep, that is the big question. Where are they? Are they all being thrown at Ukraine? The Oryx website says of Russian tanks: Tanks (1938, of which destroyed: 1185, damaged: 103, abandoned: 105, captured: 545)
You are a simple-minded little twit, aren’t ya?
No room for more than one juvenile snark in that empty little noggin at a time.
“Contrast this with the military march that was part of the coronation of Charles III, up to and including the colorful flyover and the in-unison three cheers, in a rainstorm. Britain is a second-rate power, which makes Russia look like a tenth-rate power with nukes.”
Yes, and speaking of Russian nukes, many of the Soviet Union’s weapons were manufactured in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Defense Minister: there are doubts that Russian nuclear weapons are in working condition
UAWire
Monday, May 1, 2023 6:50:00 PM
https://uawire.org/ukrainian-defense-minister-there-are-doubts-that-russian-nuclear-weapons-are-in-working-condition
There are doubts about the state of Russian nuclear weapons, since last tests were carried out in 1998, said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Ukrainian national TV.
According to him, the nuclear weapons, and carriers that Ukraine gave Russia in the 1990s reached their storage life in 1997.
“Then they could upgrade and modify them, but formally their shelf life was reached then. Plus, Ukrainian factories manufactured many components. We no longer help them,” Reznikov said.
The Ukrainian Defense Minister added that Russia did the last test of nuclear weapons in 1998 at a test site in Kazakhstan. According to Reznikov, one can doubt that Russian nuclear weapons are currently in a working condition.
He also recalled that during US President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv, Russia was scheduled to test a new missile as a show of force. The test failed, and Putin was forced to change his speech to the Russian Federal Assembly.
One of several kinds of hysteria happening around Moscow:
Mysterious Red Crosses Appearing on Moscow Streets: Ukrainian Media
Newsweek
BY BRENDAN COLE ON 5/9/23
https://www.newsweek.com/moscow-red-marks-crosses-russia-1799206
“In Moscow, people are going crazy because of the red crosses that have appeared around the city,” wrote Ukrainian journalist Andrey Tsaplienko on his Telegram channel on Monday, suggesting the crosses may have been an attempt to troll Russians. “Apparently, they fear these may be markers for airstrikes on May 9.”
[Link to the journalists Telegram post: https://t.me/Tsaplienko/31410 ]
Two Mercedes-Benz convertibles, delivering Shoigu and Gerasimov to the viewing stand. German cars designed and built under license in Russia, before Russian car production all but shut down last year. Cars that Russia can not and will no longer build without German investment, used as props to make the Russian leadership look good.
This parade in all its details, is one huge metaphor for the reality of the Russia state.
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