VLADIMIR Putin was defeated by the weather today, despite spending £1.3 million to spike the clouds with a chemical cocktail to supposedly guarantee sunshine on his vast annual military parade.

A 72-aircraft Red Square fly-past was grounded because of low cloud over the Kremlin, thwarting his bid to showcase his air force and honour Russian pilots who have served in Syria.

9 Vladimir Putin's attempts to control the weather failed and foiled plans for a fight jet fly-by Credit: Getty Images

9 Hundreds of Russian soldiers march through Red Square during the Victory Day parade Credit: EPA

9 President Vladimir Putin addresses the crowd during the annual parade Credit: Getty Images

9 The annual event is held to celebrate the defeat of Hitler and the Nazis Credit: Getty Images

The Soviet "weather changing" technology successfully prevented rain on Putin's parade but failed to disperse the thick low cloud so only a display of armoured vehicles and missile systems went ahead.

Earlier one of his military commanders had vowed the monster parade of Russia's firepower would lead the countries enemies to "salivate".

Putin told the annual 9 May commemoration of the end of the Second World War in Europe in the presence of many veterans: "We will always guard Russia just as you, the soldiers of the Victory, did. And [we will] strengthen the traditions of patriotism, loyally serving the homeland.

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"The lessons of the past war force us to be vigilant and the Russian Armed Forces are ready to repel any potential attack."

He vowed: "There was no, there is no and there will be no force that could ever enslave our people.

"They fought to the bitter end, defending their homeland, and did what seemed impossible, they turned the bloody wheel of the Second World War back, drove the enemy from our land where it dared to come, crushed Nazism, put an end to its atrocities.

"And we will never forget that it was our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who brought the freedom to Europe and the long-awaited peace on the planet."

WHAT IS PUTIN'S GOD-LIKE WEATHER CONTROL SYSTEM? Vladimir Putin has a method of weather control known as cloud seeding which is commonly used at airports around the world. The process requires silver iodide, potassium iodide and dry ice to be pumped into the atmosphere to freeze and enlarge the water droplets contained in incoming clouds. This ensures the droplets grow in size, fall out of the sky and disperse the clouds before they reach the area in question.

9 Pictured is one of Putin's SS-29 nuclear warheads Credit: Getty Images

9 Several of the terrifying weapons were put on display during the parade Credit: AP:Associated Press

9 The nuclear warhead is one of the most devastating weapons ever designed Credit: Getty Images

His emotional speech came on the most sacred day in the Russian calendar - known as Victory Day - when people commemorate the 27 million soldiers and civilians who lost their lives between 1941 and 1945.

The Russian president personally took the salute at the parade involving 10,001 troops and 114 units of military equipment. But a fly-past of 72 aircraft was cancelled.

This mean no display by Russia's Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets, which have seen combat action recently in Syria.

On display in Moscow was the the newly developed Tor-M2DT short-range anti-aircraft missile system and the Pantsir-SA surface-to-air missile system, both designed to operate in the Arctic.

Thundering across the Red Square cobbles was the T-72B3M variant of the T-72 main battle tank.

9 WWII veteran Alexei Marchenkov, 94, poses for a photo Credit: AP:Associated Press

9 Putin is saluted by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu Credit: Getty Images

Ahead of the parade, air force Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev had vowed: "What makes this year so special is that virtually each and every pilot who will take part in the 9 May flyby in Moscow has fought in Syria, is highly decorated, and will showcase skills that will make many countries salivate."

The aim was to put on display "our very best achievements, all the good things we have," he said. His hopes were defeated by the weather.

Many Russians were today honouring the dead in their own families by taking part in marches to the Immortal Regiment, holding pictures of relatives who perished in the war.

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