Crimea Cancels Annual Parades Amid Security Concerns
Traditional military parades set to take place next month have been called off in Crimea due to security concerns, according to Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian politician acting as head of the Russia-annexed Crimea since 2014.
In a statement on his Telegram channel on Wednesday, Aksyonov said authorities in both Crimea and Sevastopol have decided not to hold parades or marches to mark Victory Day on May 9. Marches to mark Labor Day on May 1 have also been scrapped in the region, he said. The move comes as Ukraine has signaled it intends to recapture Crimea as part of its counteroffensive efforts.
Victory Day, which is Russia's annual commemoration of the defeat of the Nazis in World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, is typically marked by Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing crowds and a military parade at Moscow's Red Square. Putin usually uses the day of national celebration to show off Russia's military power.
The day is marked across Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union with traditional military parades. Crimea held its first Victory Day commemorations in 2014 when the Black Sea peninsula was illegally annexed from Ukraine.
"The authorities of the Republic of Crimea and the Hero City of Sevastopol have made a joint decision not to hold festive marches on May 1 [Spring and Labor Day], or 'Immortal Regiment' marches and a military parade on May 9 [Victory Day]. This decision was made due to security considerations," Aksyonov wrote.
He added: "The local authorities will certainly visit them [veterans] and congratulate them on Victory Day."
Aksyonov's statement conflicted with comments made by the Moscow-backed Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev, who said on his Telegram channel Wednesday that a May 9 military parade has not been canceled.
"The decision to cancel the military parade on May 9 in Sevastopol has not been made at the moment," he wrote. "Now there are consultations with the Ministry of Defense, the decision to hold the Parade in Sevastopol is the prerogative of the military department."
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry by email for comment.
Sevastopol, along with the rest of Crimea, was annexed from Ukraine by Putin nine years ago, a move that has not been recognized internationally. A yellow terrorist threat level has been in place in parts of Crimea since April 11, 2022, weeks after Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
In February, a Ukrainian official said that his country is preparing "assault brigades" to take back its occupied territories, including Crimea. Many fear that such a move would be a red line for Russia which may prompt Putin to use his country's nuclear capabilities to defend the territory.
Aside from Crimea, May 9 parades will not be taking place in Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions, which border Ukraine, according to their governors, who similarly cited security concerns.
Last year's Victory Day celebrations were notably scaled back compared with previous years, data published by Russia's Defense Ministry showed. Experts linked the changes to losses sustained by Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
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