Moscow's victory parade is a legitimate military target and Ukraine issues a warning

On May 9, Vladimir Putin's dictatorship plans to hold its traditional "victory parade," instituted by the Soviet dictatorship.

The destruction of one of Russia's largest and best-defended arsenals
Russia perpetrates a massacre in Ukraine on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday

The purpose of this parade is to commemorate the Soviet victory over nazism. Its celebration today is a display of cynicism while Russia wages a war of aggression against Ukraine, perpetrating all kinds of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Ukrainian civilian population, including children and infants.

Ukraine has already managed to blow up a Russian arsenal east of Moscow.

In recent years, Russia has violated the Geneva Conventions by deliberately attacking civilian targets that had no military value and were not close to military forces or facilities, with no other purpose than to deploy a strategy of terror against the Ukrainian people. Thus, it cannot expect this parade to be respected by Ukraine, since the attacked country has all the moral authority to attempt to carry out attacks against it to the extent of its possibilities. Let us remember that recently, a large Russian arsenal was blown up east of Moscow, in one of the most successful and devastating Ukrainian counterattacks carried out to date.

Ukraine is protected by international law to attack this parade.

So, Ukraine has the means to attack this parade. But does it have the protection of international law to do so? To get the answer, simply go to the International Committee of the Red Cross website, which recalls Rule 8 of customary international humanitarian law:

Definition of Military Objectives
Rule 8. In so far as objects are concerned, military objectives are limited to those objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose partial or total destruction, capture or neutralization, in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage

In the text published on the interpretation of this rule, the Red Cross adds:

Many military manuals state that the presence of civilians within or near military objectives does not render such objectives immune from attack. This is the case, for example, of civilians working in a munitions factory. This practice indicates that such persons share the risk of attacks on that military objective but are not themselves combatants. This view is supported by official statements and reported practice. Such attacks are still subject to the principle of proportionality (see Rule 14) and the requirement to take precautions in attack (see Rules 15–21). The prohibition on using human shields is also relevant to this issue (see Rule 97).

As for examples, the Red Cross points out:

State practice often cites establishments, buildings and positions where enemy combatants, their materiel and armaments are located and military means of transportation and communication as examples of military objectives.

Thus, the Moscow Victory Parade is a legitimate military target under international law, and Ukraine therefore has the right to attack it, since we are talking about a large concentration of troops, weapons, and military vehicles of the aggressor country. Denying Ukraine this right would be as absurd as denying the Allies the right to attack a military parade in nazi Germany during World War II, while Germany—as Russia is doing now—was committing all kinds of crimes in the territories occupied by Hitler's dictatorship.

Putin tries to use foreign leaders as human shields

It should be noted that Putin has invited foreign leaders to this military parade, perhaps in an attempt to use them as human shields against a possible Ukrainian attack. Among those who have announced their presence is the Prime Minister of Slovakia, the pro-Russian Robert Fico, who has ignored the European Commission's request to the leaders of European Union member states not to attend the celebration. Other 19 other international leaders had announced their presence in that parade.

Ukraine warns: “We do not recommend visiting Russia from a security perspective”

On Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky said: "We do not recommend visiting Russia from a (security) standpoint. And if you choose to go, that is your personal decision — do not ask us for guarantees." The Ukrainian president added: "Ukraine bears no responsibility for what happens inside Russia. That's a fact." Zelensky also noted that "we have had many different leaders, and during their visits there were various formats of attacks, assaults, intimidation." An example of this was the Russian attack on Odesa in March 2024 during a visit by Greece's prime minister to the city, a missile attack on civilian targets in which five people were murdered.

Putin declared a truce to try to shield that parade.

Last week, Vladimir Putin declared a three-day truce to coincide with that parade in Moscow, in a clear attempt to prevent Ukraine from spoiling his celebration after having endured Russian attacks on its civilian population on Christian holidays such as Christmas Eve, on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday. Zelensky rejected that truce declared by Putin stating: "Now, yet again, another attempt at manipulation: for some reason, everyone is supposed to wait until May 8 before ceasing fire – just to provide Putin with silence for his parade."

Some foreign leaders have already cancelled their attendance at the event.

So far, three foreign leaders who had announced they would attend the parade have canceled their trips. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced today that he will not attend, citing tensions with Pakistan. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will also not attend, citing that he suddenly fell ill during his recent visit to the United States. Furthermore, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi canceled his trip to Moscow for the parade on April 30, citing rising tensions with Pakistan. At this rate, it's possible that Putin could end up watching the parade on TV.

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Photo: Kremlin.ru. Una imagen del desfile de la victoria en Moscú en el año 2020.