Putin’s scaled down Victory Parade getting smaller by the day | CNN

For years, Russia’s Victory Day parade has symbolized the country’s military strength and power, with a dazzling display of heavy military equipment and a stream of visiting dignitaries. This year things will look very different. Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a scaled-back parade in Red Square, with no military hardware on display due to the “current operational situation,” according to the Russian Defense Ministry. There will also be fewer foreign leaders than previous years, and now most international press will have to rely on footage coming from Russian state media to cover the event. In a sign of heightened security concerns from the Kremlin, many international journalists have been told they won’t be able to attend the parade commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. “Putin likes to look in control and wants the Russian state to look strong, and that is not the message this sends. It sends a message he wouldn’t usually want to send,” said Sam Greene, professor of Russian politics at King’s College London, noting it was “out of character” for the Russian leader. This year, the Kremlin appears to be priorit