May 11, 2026

The Parade Must Go On


The Parade Must Go On
Victory Day Parade in St. Petersburg. Fontanka, Telegram.

On May 9, Russia commemorated Victory Day with downsized parades, including in Moscow. Some cities even canceled their events over drone threats. However, St. Petersburg carried on with its "March of the Immortal Regiment," albeit with restrictions that included banning water bottles.

On May 8, Alexander Ravin, the Vice President of the Municipal Committee of Law, Order, and Security, said that on Victory Day, "the most unprecedented measures and forces imaginable will be displayed in our city." Multiple metro stations were closed. Authorities banned water bottles, alcohol, food, power banks, and flags of foreign countries from the march. To enter the march, attendees had to pass three security checkpoints. Cellphone carriers warned of possible internet outages during the event.

The procession went from Alexander Nevsky Square via Nevsky Prospekt to Palace Square. Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg's main throroughfare, and was completely barricaded with fences and policemen. Many residents of St. Petersburg's most famous avenue were left stranded on their building patios during the parade. 

Unlike previous Victory Day marches, there was no modern military equipment and no airplanes. Just a thousand troops participated. War veterans from the Great Patriotic War (World War II) were not invited due to security concerns.

Attendees carried black-and-white pictures of family members lost in the war. Many people held pictures of loved ones who died in Russia's War on Ukraine. Wagner mercenaries in uniform led one of the columns of the march, while carrying a flag with a picture of their disgraced leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Due to the restrictions, it is estimated that only 100,000 people participated in this year's Victory Day parade in St. Petersburg. In 2025, the march had over 1.1 million attendees. 

Meanwhile, also on Victory Day, police arrested 85-year-old Lyudmila Vasilyeva, a survivor of the Nazi invasion. She was detained near the Solovetsky stone holding flowers and a sign that read "Don't cover up your crimes with the people's victory." Vasilyeva was later released without charges.

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