Putin's military might has vanished

The spectacle of a single World War Two tank traversing Red Square in Moscow on Victory Day was emblematic of the damage the conflict in Ukraine has inflicted on Russia. The T-34, an 83-year-old Soviet-era relic of the “Great Patriotic War”, traditionally leads the parade but is usually accompanied by modern fighting machines to show off the nation’s military might.

But this year, the event was markedly scaled back, with just 51 vehicles. Last year there were 131 and in 2021 almost 200. The Russians claimed the parade was reduced on security grounds following the recent drone attack on the Kremlin, which they blamed on Ukraine. But analysts believe the decision was taken to conceal the considerable losses to men and material suffered in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin’s so-called “special military operation” was supposed to end on this day last year. Military planners had earmarked May 9 as the deadline for securing Kyiv, ousting the Ukrainian government and installing a Moscow-backed regime.

Not only has it failed to conquer Ukraine but the Russian army has become bogged down in a war of attrition in the east and is braced for a counter-offensive. 

Putin disastrously underestimated the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people and the unity of the West in the face of aggression, while grossly overestimating the competence of the Russian military. In truth, Nato also thought that Ukraine would not last long and all assumptions about Russian capabilities have had to be revisited.

President Putin’s capacity for self-delusion was again in evidence in his speech today in which he blamed the West for aiming to subjugate Russia. He said a “real war has been unleashed against Russia” and sought to portray Ukraine as a “hostage” of the West and its “neo-Nazi” allies.

Unfortunately, this rhetoric still resonates among many Russians, but even they must wonder why the great Victory Day military spectacle looked so threadbare this year.

Some of the troops taking part were even taken off the front line to attend and were addressed directly by Putin.
“There is nothing more important now than your combat effort,” the Russian president said. “The security of the country rests on you today, the future of our statehood and our people depend on you.” Certainly his own future does.