As the parade practice runs began on 24–25 March in Alabino, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the preparations for the parade heavily. The Moscow city government proposed holding the parade without any spectators for the sake of public health, especially of the Second World War veterans and their families who were a big part of the audience in the past. Only select reporters and cameramen of Russian TV channels, as well as the press personnel of the Ministry of Defence, stayed there to cover the proceedings. Alternative proposals were also discussed, including the postponement of the parade to 24 June (anniversary of the Moscow Victory Day Parade of 1945), 2 September (Victory over Japan Day), or 7 November in replacement of the Memorial Parade in honor of the anniversary of the 1941 October Revolution Parade. The former was sponsored in the State Duma by A Just Russia leader Sergey Mironov. 24 June was announced as the new date for the parade in a video conference on 26 May. Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that the government expected the situation to improve further before that date. Two days later, the corresponding executive order was signed.