Children Aren’t Afraid of Newly Captured Tanks During Recent Kyiv ‘Parade’ Mocking Russian’s Past Parade Plans

In February, Russians were planning a parade in downtown Kyiv. 6 months into the large-scale war the shameful display of rusty Russian metal is a reminder to all dictators how their plans may be ruined by a free and courageous nation. [i]

The ‘mock parade’ comes just days before Ukraine’s Independence Day on Aug. 24. In the video below, several tanks can be seen as droves of Ukrainian citizens snap selfies atop tanks. Many are seen climbing and exploring the various disabled vehicles. Ukrainians reportedly “poked fun that the Russians were finally staging a military parade in Kyiv, but not the one they had planned.” [ii]

Initially, Putin believed it possible “to take the capital Kyiv within two days of the invasion, which has since dragged on for six months and largely stalled.” Staging the vehicles required the use of cranes and lorries. Some of the destroyed vehicles on display included:

• Russian T-72 tanks
• Russian T-80 tanks
• Russian T-90 tanks, and
• BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles.[iii]

Oleksandr Hurzevych, a Ukrainian armed forces spokesman, reported that,

Russian soldiers advancing on Kyiv had brought parade uniforms with them, expecting a victory soon after President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on February 24. [iv]

Ukrainian defense minister Oleksii Reznikov corroborated these assertions stating,

I saw for myself the cermonial uniforms in their tanks. The aggressors dreamt of capturing Kyiv in 3 days. The occupiers intended to hold a parade in our capital. [v]

Several others weighed in on Russia’s ‘parade’ plans, with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Estonia, Mariana Betsa, advising Russia, “be careful what you wish for,” as seen in her Tweet with accompanying video below.

Finally, BBC journalist Myroslava Petsa tweeted, “Here’s what the real parade looks like. Destroyed Russian military vehicles that symbolize anything but Russia’s victory.”

References

[i] Brendan Cole, Ukraine Military Shares Display of Destroyed Russian Equipment in Kyiv, (Aug. 20, 2022)

[ii] Oli Smith, ‘You wanted a parade?!’ Kyiv ridicules Putin with mock parade of destroyed tanks – WATCH, (Aug. 21, 2022)

[iii] Id.

[iv] Brendan Cole, Ukraine Military Shares Display of Destroyed Russian Equipment in Kyiv, (Aug. 20, 2022)

[v] Mary Kay Linge, Ukraine mocks Russia with Kyiv ‘parade’ of captured tanks and trucks, (Aug. 20, 2022)