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Putin lays wreath at Eternal Flame near Unknown Soldier's Tomb

Flowers to the Monument were also laid by participants in the ceremony

MOSCOW, May 8 (Itar-Tass) — On the eve of the Victory Day, President Vladimir Putin laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame near the Unknown Soldier's Tomb here on Tuesday in token of respect for the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War (WWII).

The soldiers of the guard of honor carried out a wreath of fir-tree branches, decorated with flowers and engirdled with a ribbon of Russian flag colours and the inscription "To the Unknown Soldier from President of Russia". When they put the wreath at the Eternal Flame, the Head of State straightened the ribbon and stood for some time, bowing his head in front of the Unknown Soldier's Tomb.

Flowers to the Monument were also laid by participants in the ceremony -- Members of the Government and the Presidential Administration, representatives of political parties, top brass, and veteran organizations.

The Presidential Orchestra played the National Anthem of Russia. Servicemen of the Moscow military garrison, represented by all branches of service, then marched past the Monument to the strains of the song "The Victory Day".

Following that, Putin walked along the Kremlin Wall and laid flowers at the pillars bearing the names of Hero Cities and at the stele listing the Cities of Military Glory. A memorial slab in their honour was set up in the Alexander Garden in line with an instruction issued in 2010 by the then President of the RF on the eve of the 65th anniversary of the Day of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

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