A Scaled-Back Victory Day Parade Shows Putin’s Growing Vulnerability in Ukraine War

President Vladimir V. Putin has cultivated the annual Victory Day parade commemorating the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany into a cornerstone of Russian patriotic ritual. Tanks and nuclear launchers roll across Red Square in a showcase of military prowess and righteous pride that the Kremlin has used to justify the country’s great-power posture toward the West.

This year, the parade highlighted a moment of weakness for Mr. Putin.

Moscow is under a heavy security presence as Ukraine rattles Russia with long-range drone and missile strikes. The Russian authorities have appeared exposed as they acknowledged that the beefed-up security was intended to protect Mr. Putin.

The parade on Saturday included none of the usual muscle-flexing missiles and armor. Personnel from Russian military academies and other servicemen made their way through Russia’s most famous square.

They included more than 1,000 soldiers and officers still active in the war in Ukraine and some from North Korea, who last year took part in pushing Ukrainian troops out of Russia’s Kursk region, according to a live broadcast from the event.

After about 45 minutes, the parade concluded with a flyover by Russian aerobatic teams and Su-25 ground-attack jets, coloring the sky in the white, blue and red of the Russian flag.