Russia to hold huge military parades despite lingering pandemic

Tens of thousands of Russian servicemen will take part in rescheduled military parades on Wednesday, as the country emerges from coronavirus lockdown before a national vote that could allow president Vladimir Putin to rule until 2036.

Opponents accuse Mr Putin of rushing to lift health restrictions so as to hold the displays of military might and the controversial plebiscite, even though Russia continues to record significant numbers of new coronavirus cases: on Tuesday 7,425 new infections were confirmed, bringing the official national total to 599,075.

At least 20 Russian cities have cancelled or further delayed events to mark 75 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany, but more than 25 will hold military parades, with Mr Putin and several foreign leaders attending the main one in Moscow.

Some 14,000 servicemen are set to march across Red Square during a celebration that will feature about 300 military vehicles, including tanks and missile launchers, and a flypast involving about 75 planes and helicopters.

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Officials say troops taking part have complied with strict health controls – following the reported infection of hundreds of soldiers during preparations for the postponed May 9th event – and second World War veterans will attend after being confined to a fortnight’s quarantine in sanatoriums. The general public is being told to watch on television, however.

French president Emmanuel Macron and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were initially expected to fly in for the parade, but the pandemic prompted them to pull out. Leaders of several former Soviet republics and Serbia are expected to attend, along with the top Bosnian Serb official.

The Kremlin says the event will be safe and should go ahead to mark a glorious and tragic chapter in the history of a nation that suffered huge losses during the war.

Constitutional vote

Officials insist the timing has nothing to do with boosting support for the proposed constitutional changes, on which voting will begin on Thursday, one week before the official July 1st date of a plebiscite that was postponed in April.

Critics ask why huge parades and a national vote can take place when mass gatherings are still forbidden on safety grounds, and they accuse Mr Putin of trying to cement his rule further before mounting economic woes erode his popularity.

Officials argue that the changes – including a “reset” of term limits for Mr Putin, Russia’s leader as president and premier for 20 years – would strengthen the country’s democracy and stability.

Mr Putin (67) announced more financial help for families and a tax rise for wealthy Russians on Tuesday.

He says he has not decided whether he would like to run for president again when his current term expires in 2024. However, he has warned that if he does not run then government operations could become disrupted “in about two years . . . by people looking around for possible successors.”