Assassination Fears: Paranoid Putin Rushes Through Speech During Russia's 'Smallest Ever' Victory Day Parade
May 9 2023, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Vladimir Putin reportedly rushed through a speech given at this year’s Victory Day parade due to fears he might be assassinated, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In his first public appearance since surviving an alleged assassination attempt at the Kremlin last week, Putin attended this year’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on Tuesday to commemorate the end of Russia’s involvement in World War II.
But Russian sources familiar with Tuesday’s celebration revealed that this year’s Victory Day parade was the “smallest ever” due to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
According to a clip of the parade posted to Twitter on Tuesday morning, this year’s procession only involved a single Soviet-era T-34 tank flanked by no more than ten additional military vehicles.
This year’s Victory Day parade was also reportedly light on soldiers due to the fact that the majority of Russia’s fighting-aged men are currently on the frontlines in Ukraine.
“The parade in Moscow didn't have any modern tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, or aviation,” Ukrainian Ministry Advisor Anton Gerashchenko said of the procession. “It was one of the smallest in Russian history, taking less than 10 minutes.”
“There was one T-34 tank that took part in WWII. No Iskanders, Armata tanks, aviation,” he continued. “The walking part of the parade mainly consisted of cadets and students of military universities, not military staff.”
“Russia’s Ministry of Defense hasn't published any information about the parade's participants, unlike in previous years.”
Western intelligence sources further confirmed that Russia’s Victory Day parade was the “smallest ever” due to the fact that the large majority of the country’s military and weaponry is either deployed in Ukraine or was destroyed amid the past 14 months of conflict.
“Most Russian units that would normally be participating in the parade are either sitting in pieces in the Ukrainian countryside, still in Russian service waiting for the coming Ukrainian counteroffensive, or my personal favorite, now in service with the Ukrainian Army,” one Western intelligence source said.
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Meanwhile, Putin’s speech on Tuesday was also reported to be shorter than usual. But while the 70-year-old Russian leader kept his remarks short, Putin reportedly made sure to blame the West for the still ongoing war in Ukraine.
"Today civilization is once again at a decisive turning point,” Putin told his audience from Moscow’s Red Square on Tuesday morning. “A real war has been unleashed against our Motherland."
