Russia in the 21st Century [Superthread]

[The Bread Guy]

How the "war that can't be named lest you end up in a gulag" is playing along a long USSR 2.0 rail line, from Le Monde in English.
Part 1: https://archive.is/YA1B0
Part 2: https://archive.is/MUgKt
Couple of stand-out's for me:

 

[HavokFour]

Interesting observation.

Having now skimmed through the parade it wasn't just lacking vehicles entirely, but significantly less troops in general compared to past years.

 

[KevinB]

Interesting observation.

Having now skimmed through the parade it wasn't just lacking vehicles entirely, but significantly less troops in general compared to past years.

Smaller target profile…
Oh and few running vehicles.

 

[HavokFour]

Smaller target profile…
Oh and few running vehicles.

Also, the only actual non-CGI planes they could spare for a flyover was done by Su-25's. Because those don't exactly have the best track record anywhere near the front.

 

[GK .Dundas]

At least they've been spared the sight of broken down T-14s.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Oh and few running vehicles available just for show.

A slight tweak

 

[KevinB]

At least they've been spared the sight of broken down T-14s.

Can't be proven to be broken down if you tow them, they may have just been saving fuel y'know

 

[HavokFour]

Interesting and concerning bit of legislation passed in Russia today.

Russian parliament passes bill allowing Putin to invade foreign countries

The new measure arrives amid fears the Kremlin might be ready to test the West’s commitment to NATO.

www.politico.eu

Could be bad news for the Baltics or some other small, non-NATO country. It could also be legal cover for him domestically if it retroactively includes past "special military operations" if pulling out of Ukraine should be under consideration now.

 

[FJAG]

Just watched a video of the film for the 1st Moscow victory parade. Besides seeing Zhukov and three other generals reviewing the parade on horses rather than convertibles, the size of the parade was massive.

 

[GR66]

Another instance of Russian aircraft dangerously harassing NATO aircraft over the Black Sea

Russian jets nearly collide with British RC-135W plane over Black Sea

Russian Su-35 and Su-27 fighter jets repeatedly and dangerously intercepted an unarmed Royal Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea in April 2026, the UK Ministry of Defence revealed on May 20,

defence-blog.com

Maybe we need to provide fighter escorts on these missions?

 

[Good2Golf]

They did previously, RAF Typhoon fighters IIRC.