London: Victory Day parade in Red Square revealed Russian weaknesses

The Victory Day parade over Nazi Germany in Moscow on Tuesday exposed the weaknesses of the Russian military, according to British intelligence experts.

Russia's 15-month war in Ukraine posed challenges for the Russians in terms of materiel and strategic communications, the daily intelligence report from the Ministry of Defence said.

Over 8,000 personnel reportedly took part in the parade, but the majority were auxiliary, paramilitary forces and cadets from military training establishments, it said.

Also, the British noted that Russia largely refrained from displaying tanks, with only one T-34 tank from World War II shown in the parade.

"Despite heavy losses in Ukraine, Russia could have fielded more armoured vehicles," the British report said.

The Russian authorities likely wanted to avoid domestic accusations that they prioritized parades over military operations, the analysis said.