Where Are Armatas?

The Russian MoD was too shy to show modern tank types at the parade that were not available at the front.

There were three times fewer weapons and five times fewer aircraft at the 2024 parade in Moscow than in 2021. The Ministry of Defence was embarrassed to show modern models that were not available at the front, writes Mozhem Obiasnit (“We Can Explain”)

The demonstration of the military power of the Russian Federation turned out to be less convincing than before the war and in the first year of the war.

Spectators on Red Square saw 61 weapons – less than Sergei Shoigu promised in preparation for the parade (75). 197 weapons took part in the last pre-war parade in 2021.

Unlike 2022, there were no crews of combat units at the parade (with the exception of a brigade of railway troops). For the first time, the guards stopped walking on the paving stones last May. Military cadets, representatives of the military police, the Russian National Guard, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, as well as a separate group of “SVO participants” walked through Red Square.

This is the second year that the widely advertised “latest models” of weapons: there was no the T-14 tank at the parade.

Armata, Kurganets APC, Coalition-SV self-propelled howitzer. Only one tank was shown - the T-34 from the Second World War.

Now they are too shy to ride the Armata in the parade. “And then suddenly someone will have uncomfortable questions,” military analyst Yan Matveev commented on the technology demonstration. During the two years of the war, the “newest, unique” tank did not appear at the front.

The Pantsir short-range air defence system was also missing. At the beginning of 2023, these systems were installed on the roofs of Moscow buildings and near Putin’s residence.

After two years of cancellations, the aerial part of the parade took place – but in a truncated form. 15 aircraft flew over Red Square: 9 Su-30 and Mig-29 fighters and 6 Su-25 attack aircraft. In 2021, 75 aircraft and helicopters participated in the airborne part.