Virus Forces Putin to Postpone WWII Victory Anniversary Parade
- Russian president warned this week that pandemic is worsening
- Red Square event involves thousands of troops, foreign leaders
President Vladimir Putin postponed all of Russia’s public celebrations on May 9 of the World War II victory, including the Red Square military parade, conceding that the coronavirus pandemic had defeated his plans for a grand commemoration to mark the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
“We will force the threat we face today to retreat and then we will definitely hold all the events planned for May 9,” Putin said via videoconference at a meeting of the Security Council on Thursday. The annual parade involving thousands of troops and displays of military hardware including tanks and nuclear-missile launchers as well as a fly-past by the air force, will be held later in the year along with other planned events, Putin said, without specifying a date.