No tanks, no internet, simmering discontent: Putin to host nervous May 9 parade

MOSCOW, May 7: No military hardware, internet shutdowns, Ukrainian drone threats and simmering discontent: President Vladimir Putin will host Moscow's Victory Day parade Saturday amid signs some Russians are tiring of more than 50 months of war.

The parade -- marking the World War II defeat of the Nazis and held as Putin's Ukraine offensive has dragged on for longer than the Soviet Union's fight against Germany -- has become a central symbol of his 26-year rule.

Since launching the offensive on Ukraine in 2022, Putin has channelled Soviet victory to galvanise support for a campaign that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

But as Russia rolls out unpopular restrictions and a decisive military victory appears more and more out of reach, the scaled-back celebrations come amid increased nervousness in Moscow.    �"AFP