Charles Maines

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Victory Day parade on Red Square featured no tanks, missiles, or nuclear launchers, a reflection of Kremlin fears of Ukrainian drone strikes that proved unnecessary.

Both Moscow and Kyiv agreed to a three-day ceasefire following a last-minute appeal from President Trump.

and there were no disruptions to the Red Square ceremony.

Yet in a combative speech before troops, President Vladimir Putin made clear Russia intended to continue military operations.

Invoking the Soviet victory, Putin insisted Russians were united in a just cause against an aggressive Ukraine backed by NATO.

That despite polls that show growing public fatigue with the conflict now in its fifth year.

Charles Baines, NPR News.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Victory Day parade on Red Square featured no tanks, missiles, or nuclear launchers, a reflection of Kremlin fears of Ukrainian drone strikes that proved unnecessary.

Both Moscow and Kiev agreed to a three-day ceasefire following a last-minute appeal from President Trump, and there were no disruptions to the Red Square ceremony.

Yet in a combative speech before troops, President Vladimir Putin made clear Russia intended to continue military operations.

Invoking the Soviet victory, Putin insisted Russians were united in a just cause against an aggressive Ukraine backed by NATO.

That despite polls that show growing public fatigue with the conflict now in its fifth year.

Charles Baines, NPR News.

We're stopping on the runway.

The Trump administration first introduced the sanctions waiver in March, part of an attempt to level out global energy prices amid the war in Iran.

The policy's extension effectively allows countries to legally purchase previously sanctioned Russian oil for the second month in a row.

The Kremlin's U.S.

envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said the move amounted to an acknowledgement of the crucial role of Russian energy in maintaining the stability of the global economy.

Dmitriev predicted more than 100 million additional barrels of Russian oil would soon reach global markets.

Critics of the U.S.