The Proekt investigative website reported that more than 376 Russian cadets had fallen ill after the rehearsals, although that has not been confirmed by Russia’s military. Video from the training grounds leaked in early April showed thousands of soldiers in formation. In April the military said it had quarantined more than 10,000 soldiers, after they had remained at a training grounds outside of Moscow until mid-April, weeks after local officials had instituted distancing measures. So far the leaders of Moldova and Kazakhstan have confirmed they will attend the rescheduled event. The event is an important public and political holiday and the Kremlin had hoped to host the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and China’s Xi Jinping at the parade. Putin was forced to postpone the 9 May parade in April after it became clear the Covid-19 pandemic would make celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany a health hazard. Putin also said he hoped the country could hold “Immortal Regiment” marches in late July, where nearly 1 million Russians gather in public to march holding images of family members who fought in the war. He noted that the new date matched the “legendary, historic” Victory Day parade of 1945. “I order preparations to begin for the military parade in honour of the 75th anniversary of Victory Day in the capital, Moscow, and in other cities,” Putin said, adding that the situation “in the country as a whole, in most regions and in the armed forces is stable”. Photograph: Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images Soldiers march through Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow in May 2019.
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