Putin Marks Victory Day Amid Pandemic With Muted Celebration

MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin held a watered-down celebration of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany, with the coronavirus pandemic denying him what had been slated to be an extravagant display screen of Russia’s military may.

Mr. Putin as an alternative sought to unite the nation close to its most revered collective memory by uplifting words and phrases and consoling gestures.

“We…