🧵Russian May 9th Parade 2023 vehicle composition thread. Now we finally get to compare this year's parade to the previous years'.
This year I have not seen an official lineup released for the first time.
Last year 131 vehicles took part, down from over 200 the previous years
I am expecting under 100 vehicles, with a distinct lack of MBTs compared to other years. Overall numbers will be pumped up by an increase in Tigr-Ms and similar.
First we have to get wait for the troops to leave Red Square before the vehicles come through.
As per tradition, the parade opens with WW2 era T-34-85s.
This year it is again just a single T-34-85.
This is immediately followed by 7 Tigr-Ms
(Total Vehicle Count: 8)
Getting an accurate count of the next set of vehicles was hard due to camera angles changing, but there are 6 VPK-Urals
(Total Vehicle Count: 14)
These were followed by 10 Remdiesel Z-STS Akhmat MRAPs which are only used by Chechen forces.
(Total Vehicle Count: 24)
Immediately followed by 6 Iskander-M lead by a BTR-82A meaning we skipped the entirety of the IFV and MBT section from last year
(Total Vehicle Count: 31)
Followed by 6 S-400 TELs lead by a BTR-82A skipping the short range air defense and entire VDV section from last year.
(Total Vehicle Count: 38)
The parade then skipped right to the end with the 3 RS-24 Yars lead by a BTR-82A and flanked by 6 Tigr-Ms. This skipped their usual display of their unmanned ground vehicles. (Total Vehicle Count: 48)
Finally the 3 VPK-7829 Bumerang IFVs closed off the parade. (FINAL VEHICLE COUNT: 51)
The flyover is expectedly cancelled. As no rehearsals had taken place, this was a guarantee.
Since the invasion the amount of vehicles in the annual parade has plummeted into a pitiful display:
2021: 197
2022: 131
2023: 51
No reason for Ukraine to do anything at the parade. The Russian military is perfectly capable of embarrassing itself.
I am amazed they couldn't even drag one of the T-14s to the parade.
To even get to 51 vehicles, the Russian military had to "borrow" 10 Remdiesel Ahmat Z-STS from Ramzan Kadyrov.
Now we know why they did not release a line up ahead of time.
Putin when the drone attack on the Kremlin wasn't enough to get this shitshow cancelled and spare him the embarrassment.
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