It's Raining on Putin’s Victory Day Parade

Military and political setbacks threaten to rob Putin of the traditional patriotic May 9 boost. Could Russian hackers resort to cyber attacks in an attempt to project an image of strength?

Events already occurring in May 2023 illustrate the desperate situation Vladimir Putin’s government faces. Russian planners have scaled back the Victory Day holiday set for 9 May, usually an occasion to tout Russian military might and any geopolitical victories, amid battlefield losses and fears of a Ukrainian counterattack. However, Russian hackers have a history of conducting cyber operations pegged to this holiday, and despite the more subdued atmosphere, Russian asymmetric attacks against Ukraine and NATO members cannot be ruled out.    

Victory Day parade on Red Square, 2014. Source: Kremlin[.]ru. Creative Commons

Little Cause to Boast on Victory Day

May 9 is Russia’s biggest national holiday, marking the anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. Memory of that victory resonates with the population—nearly every family lost a member in that war—and has for decades served as a po…