Putin says he believes Ukrainian conflict nearing end amid scaled-down Victory Day celebrations
Updated on: May 9, 2026 / 4:49 PM EDT / CBS/AP
TL;DR
- Vladimir Putin believes the Ukrainian conflict is nearing its end.
- Victory Day parade in Moscow was scaled down, omitting heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades.
- Officials cited 'current operational situation' and security concerns for the parade's format change.
- Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, calling it a 'just cause' against a NATO-supported force.
- North Korean troops participated in the parade for the first time.
- A U.S.-brokered ceasefire eased concerns about disruptions during the festivities, though attacks continued.
- President Trump announced a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, calling it a potential 'beginning of the end' of the war.
- Russia warned of a 'massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv' if Ukraine disrupted festivities.
- Victory Day is Russia's most important secular holiday, commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in WWII.
- Several foreign leaders attended, including heads of state from Malaysia, Laos, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, while others like Slovakia's PM laid flowers but skipped the parade.
- Internet access and text messaging services were restricted in Moscow for public safety.