The Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea said on Wednesday that the annual parade of the Victory Day had been canceled for security reasons, reflecting the growing anxiety for possible Ukrainian attacks on Russian-occupied territory.
Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, is Russia’s most important secular holiday.
The fashion shows, which this year are scheduled for May 9, are highly symbolic manifestations of Moscow’s military might and are usually held in major Russian cities along with the main parade in Moscow’s Red Square.
Wednesday’s announcement by the head of Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, came after local authorities in two Russian regions took similar steps.
“This decision was made for security reasons,” Kremlin-appointed official Sergei Aksyonov wrote on messaging app Telegram on Wednesday, adding that the traditional manifestations Labor Day, May 1st.
The heads of the Kursk and Belgorod regions, where towns and cities on the Ukrainian border have been repeatedly bombed in recent months, have also canceled Victory Day parades.
Some pro-Russian commentators have questioned the logic of holding military parades at a time when Moscow’s forces have been bogged down with old Soviet tanks and other equipment on the Ukrainian front.
And as Ukraine prepares for an anticipated counteroffensive, there are fears in parts of Russia that Kiev could launch large-scale attacks inside the country.
Military analysts believe that the Ukrainian counteroffensive may be an attempt to do so interrupt the flow of weapons and supplies entering and leaving the Crimean peninsula.
Aksyonov said on Tuesday that although no one “underestimate“For the Ukrainian forces, Crimea was ready for anything.
The Russian army has built large-scale defensive lines in Crimea, Aksyonov said, but that “doesn’t mean they will necessarily be used.”
In Belgorod, the local governor, Viacheslav Gladkov, said last week that the Victory Day parade was canceled so as not to “provoke the enemy with a large number of military equipment and personnel concentrated in the center of Belgorod”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the main parade in Moscow’s Red Square was underway.
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Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.