‘Russia passed COVID-19 peak’, says Putin; Orders World War II victory parade next month

After peaking in mid-May at more than 11,000 new cases per day, the number of daily infections has dropped below 9,000.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that the country has passed its peak of novel coronavirus infections, ordering World War II victory parade postponed by the pandemic to be held next month.

The postponement of the May 9 Victory Day parade had been a huge blow to Putin, who earlier hoped to gather world leaders to watch troops march on Red Square to celebrate 75 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany.

But with the number of new coronavirus cases declining steadily in Russia, Putin told Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to reschedule the parade for June 24.

In a televised video conference, Putin told Shoigu, “According to experts, the peak can be considered passed”.

While referring to the first victory parade in Red Square after Germany’s surrender to Soviet commanders on May 9, the Russian leader said, “We will do it on June 24, the day the legendary historic victors’ parade took place in 1945”.

After peaking in mid-May at more than 11,000 new cases per day, the number of daily infections has dropped below 9,000.

Russia has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases across the globe, only behind the United States and Brazil.

The exponential surge in COVID-19 cases forced the Russian President to postpone the parade but he had promised that the nation will celebrate it on a “grand scale”.

Putin said “strict safety measures” would need to be put in place for the parade.

Russian authorities have been easing lockdowns despite the high number of infections, though tough restrictions remain in place in hard-hit Moscow until at least May 31.

In April, Putin had extended the national paid leave introduced to contain the spread of COVID-19 that lasted earlier this month.

Earlier, the President warned that the peak of coronavirus infections still lay ahead and said “the situation remains very difficult”.

Russia has recorded 362,342 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 3,807 deaths so far with 8,915 new infections reported on Tuesday.