Thanks to Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin could enjoy his Victory Day parade in Moscow safe in the knowledge that no Ukrainian drones would come hurtling onto Red Square while he was inspecting the Russian troops. Taking to Truth Social last night, the American president declared that he had requested that Moscow and Kyiv observe a three-day ceasefire, starting today and lasting until 11 March. 

‘This ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country,’ Trump said. At the time of writing that truce is still holding, with both Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky stating that they would stick to the agreement.

A centrepiece of Putin’s calendar, Victory Day – marking the victory of the allied forces over Nazi Germany in 1945 – is usually a seemingly never-ending celebration replete with brocade, pageantry and heavy weaponry. Since coming to power 25 years ago, the Russian president had used the day as a platform to showcase the might and strength of Russian army to friends and enemies alike.

The eerily empty streets of Moscow this morning were a far cry from the usual throngs who turn out to watch

The eerily empty streets of Moscow this morning were a far cry from the usual throngs who turn out to watch

In the four years since invading Ukraine, the Victory Day parade in Moscow has gone through various iterations that have reflected – and at times attempted to compensate for – the Russian army’s performance on the front line in Ukraine. This year was distinctly different from any that have come before it.

The military parade onto Red Square today did not feature any military equipment – the first time this has been the case since it was introduced into........

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