The governor of Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, announced that the traditional May 9 parade will not take place in Kursk due to safety concerns tied to the location of the regional headquarters, which is focused on strengthening counter-terrorism measures.
Following this stance, Starovoit stated that the military parade on May 9 would be canceled. He added that details about the Immortal Regiment campaign, including its format and venue, would be communicated at a later time.
Last week, a decision was made to cancel the parade in the Belgorod region as well. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov explained that the move was to avoid provoking an adversary, given the concentration of equipment and troops near Belgorod’s center.
Officials noted that the regional operational headquarters had not yet resolved how to organize the Immortal Regiment or the victory salute for May 9, nor how to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Prokhorovka.
Gladkov emphasized that the paramount goal is the safety of Belgorod residents, and that decisions would be guided by the evolving security situation rather than risk-taking.
Parade planned for Moscow
Responding to questions about the positions taken by Kursk and Belgorod authorities, Dmitry Peskov, the presidential press secretary, said that regional governors are empowered to decide on May 9 commemorations within their jurisdictions. The priority, he noted, is ensuring public safety.
At the same time, the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow is being prepared and planned to proceed as scheduled, according to a Kremlin spokesperson.
Peskov also indicated that enhanced security measures would be implemented for the capital’s parade, and that there would be no changes to the overall parade plans for Moscow.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu shared details about the Moscow parade, stating that about 10,000 personnel and 125 units of weapons and military equipment would participate on Red Square. He recalled that in 2023, Russia hosted victory parades in 28 cities, featuring roughly 1,200 weapons and equipment and more than 55,000 participants.
Border region situation
The border areas of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions continue to experience periodic bombardments related to the conflict with Ukraine. Notably, a drone strike damaged the roof of a cultural center in the village of Dronovka, Kursk region, on April 1. On April 2, seven people were injured in a mortar attack near Nikolaevo-Daryino in the Sudzhansky district. By April 5, several Kursk villages lost power due to bombardments.
The region remains under a sustained elevated threat level. Since October 19, 2022, Kursk authorities have tightened security around critical infrastructure and education facilities, increased checks at railway and bus stations, and removed city buses equipped with alarm buttons to bolster safety measures.
In 2022, Kursk hosted a Victory Parade along with festive events and fireworks. By contrast, Belgorod canceled its parade that year, opting instead for a fireworks display and an Immortal Regiment procession.