Russia's Victory Day Parade: Symbolic Resilience Amid Systemic Fragmentation

Moscow's May 9 military showcase of 10,000+ troops and hypersonic missiles signals a pivot toward domestic cohesion and resource leverage rather than territorial escalation. As Russia consolidates 20% of Ukraine's pre-2022 territory, the parade exemplifies how authoritarian powers weaponize symbolism to navigate economic sanctions, reshape alliance structures, and challenge democratic governance models globally.