Russia's Victory Day parade begins in Moscow's Red Square

Russian RS-24 Yars ballistic missiles move toward Red Square to attend a Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, May 9. Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

Russia's annual Victory Day parade is underway in Moscow's Red Square, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is watching and expected to make a speech. 

Russian Defense Minster Sergei Shoigu inspected the troops and congratulated them on the 78th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II

Victory Day is the most significant in Russian President Vladimir Putin's calendar, and he has long used it to rally public support and demonstrate the country's military prowess.

But this year, the grandeur of the parade contrasts with Russia's faltering military campaign in Ukraine. Outside of Moscow, several regions in Russia — many near the border with Ukraine — scaled down preparations for the spectacle due to security concerns and a lack of military equipment to display.

Among the troops taking part in the parade today are servicemen who participated in what Russia calls "its special military operation" in Ukraine.