It is in the Victory Park, where 30 cars and other combat material captured from the Armed Forces of Ukraine are on display since today, that a crowd of Muscovites gathers, in the absence of the traditional parade that converges on Red Square, bringing together hundreds of thousands of people.

The visitors, almost all equipped with mobile phones or cameras, were photographing German Leopards, American M1150 assault cars, Turkish BMCs, English Saxons, Ukrainian Kozak or Swedish CV 9040. On the spot, a reserve colonel, Viktor Litovkin, attributes the excellent state of conservation in which some are presented to the "fear" of the Ukrainians of the Russian forces.

"Most of the samples on display are in perfect condition, as if they had just left the factory. (...) There were cases when the Ukrainians abandoned them in the middle of the battlefield, and our boys got their hands on them. That is, the crews abandoned their 'wealth' before direct contact, as soon as they smelled death", boasted the military man before the visitors, among them many families with children.

Among the armored vehicles, the British FV432 vehicle draws the attention of the curious due to its large dimensions and grilles welded to the bodywork, which motivates a compliment to the Russian soldiers, on Labor Day.

"The grilles were welded to protect it from grenades and other projectiles. (...) It was simple Russian soldiers who had this idea, already adopted by the Israeli army in its Merkava tank, supposedly the best in the world", proclaimed Litovkin.

Just over a month after the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall, a concert hall in the Moscow capital, restrictions on large gatherings remain. Labor Day is thus lived under the sign of violence, and the unions show themselves to be resigned to the war, which began more than two years ago with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"It is evident that our country is experiencing a particular moment characterized by the 'special military operation'", Mikhail Smakhov, president of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, explained to the press, using the expression used by the Kremlin to refer to the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"This leaves its mark on all our initiatives. When terrorist attacks on our cities intensify, it is clear that issues related to security affect the May 1 program", he added.

In a joint statement by the trade union organizations on the occasion of May 1, it is possible to read: "the objectives of the trade unions ensure social stability in the rear, while our soldiers defend the country's independence at the front".

The last time a similar exhibition was held in the Russian capital was 81 years ago: in 1943, "trophies" from battles against Nazi Germany were exhibited to the public in Gorky Park - Panzer tanks, instead of Leopard.

In Victory Park, visitors today oscillate between satisfaction with the apparent military successes and saturation with the war.

"It's a very interesting event. There have already been exhibitions of this kind in the West, so I think it's a good political response on our part", young Alexandre Sarkissov told Lusa, recalling the Russian armored vehicles captured and displayed in countries such as Germany and Poland.

"We are showing other generations that military weapons are not immortal, they can be defeated", he added.

"I came to see the weapons that the Americans, English, Ukrainians and other nations are supplying to the Ukrainians, to be used against our boys", Natália Mikhailova told Lusa.

"Of course this event helps us understand. (...) But everyone is against the war. Let's hope that peace comes soon!", she stressed.

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