In perhaps a good sign that the world is not about to witness nuclear Armageddon, the expected display of nuclear posturing at Russia's Victory Day parade on Moscow's Red Square marking the WWII defeat over Nazi Germany was largely absent, even with President Putin's speech more moderate than expected.

For starters, Putin's "Doomsday plane" - which was much hyped in Western media - failed to make an appearance. The Ilyushin Il-80 plane is specially modified to be Russian leadership's mobile command center in the scenario of a nuclear war.