May in Russia is invariably dominated by the Victory Day public holiday, when a military parade is held on Moscow’s Red Square to celebrate the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945.

Under Vladimir Putin’s protracted rule, this holiday has morphed from a solemn day of remembrance into a festival of chauvinistic patriotism, with the parade framed as a display of Russia’s global clout to which international guests are deemed to be paying respect.

This year, however, there was little to celebrate. Despite benevolent treatment from US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin has failed to achieve a breakthrough in its war against Ukraine. The frontline remained stagnant in the fourth year of intensive fighting, while Ukrainian drone strikes kept growing in scope and frequency, bringing the Red Square parade into question as an easy target.

Still, Putin was determined to enjoy his favourite holiday against all odds. Assisted by Trump, he brokered a temporary ceasefire with Kyiv to hold the parade, while the Russian leadership went to great lengths to lure at least some foreign dignitaries to Moscow for the celebrations.