In that case, it will be exactly the parade that Ukraine has long been waiting for.
Moscow parades traditionally have two parts: the passage of military columns past Lenin’s pyramid and the aerial part over Moscow. The flight of Ukrainian “small aviation” aircraft over the Kremlin is set to add color to the parade and remind that the “special military operation is going according to plan.”
If the SBU and GUR have indeed managed to establish direct air connectivity with Moscow, the question of the regularity of flights, as well as the time and place of arrivals, interests everyone, not just parade viewers in Ukraine.
The main intrigue in this context: will Putin appear at the parade? By tradition, he is supposed to be personally present in the stands. However, today’s CNN reports indicate that Putin has significantly reduced his movements in recent months and practically does not leave the bunker in the Krasnodar region under layered air defense protection. In the bunker, the parade is only available on television.
Simultaneously, internet access is regularly and widely shut down across Russia. Today it was reported that it will be absent in Moscow from May 5 to 9. Thus, the Kremlin demonstrates that after Ukrainian drones, Putin’s biggest fear is the unrestricted internet. For added horror, one can imagine a scenario where a Ukrainian drone flies over Moscow and “provides” unlimited internet, merging these two fears into one grand nightmare 😆.
Two months ago, the ability of Israel and the US to carry out long-range strikes led to the destruction of a significant part of Iran’s political and military leadership. Ukraine has been demonstrating its own successes in this for several months in a row. Therefore, it is no surprise that fear is the main emotion the Russian regime displays today.
Putin can try to radiate optimism as much as he wants. But with internet shutdowns and explosions across the country, including in Moscow, the futility of the war becomes clear to every Russian. Even to those who traditionally believed Kremlin propaganda.
Russia cannot win this war. Today, this is becoming increasingly obvious to every resident of the country. This is evident in sociological data, which for several months in a row record a steady drop in Putin’s ratings. The average Russian loses faith in him as a “local deity.” The thesis “No Putin, no Russia” ceases to be an axiom, as Putin, hiding from drones, fearing the internet, and watching the parade only on television, poorly associates with the image of the “tsar-father.”
Ultimately, we are witnessing the logical end of another Russian historical illusion. A country that for centuries built its identity on the cult of military omnipotence has become a hostage to the fears of an individual Leningrad pensioner.
The military parade, which just a few years ago was a symbol of power, is turning into a symbol of humiliation and helplessness. When, instead of the roar of tanks, the world discusses the routes of Ukrainian drones and the depth of Putin’s bunker, it becomes clear that the era of Russian geopolitical bluff is coming to an end. And although this process may take a long time, it is unlikely that anything can stop it.
