MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and the country’s military leadership are expected to lead the Chinese delegation at the Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square on June 24, Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov said in an open interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Friday.
Most of the Chinese delegation’s members have already arrived in Moscow and China’s servicemen are training together with the Russian military personnel in the run-up to the parade, the ambassador said.
"The Chinese delegation consists of 105 people, of whom 95 are the parade unit, or the guard of honor, to put it plainly, which is renowned for its military skills," the diplomat said.
"Besides, we expect, already closer to the date, at least as is planned, the arrival of the military leadership and the defense minister and we, naturally, are waiting for our Chinese friends in Moscow," Denisov noted.
Russia’s Land Forces Commander-in-Chief Army General Oleg Salyukov said earlier that troops from twelve countries, including China, had already arrived in Moscow and were training to take part in the military parade on Moscow’s Red Square devoted to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.
The Army chief said the Russian and foreign troops were preparing for the Victory Parade at the Alabino parade training ground near Moscow.
Russia postponed its military parade traditionally held on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 for a later date due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At a video conference with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on May 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the anticipated Victory Parade would be held on Moscow’s Red Square on June 24.
The head of state explained he had chosen this date because June 24 was the day when in 1945 the legendary historic parade of victors took place, when soldiers, who fought for Moscow and defended Leningrad, who stood their ground for Stalingrad, liberated Europe and stormed Berlin marched on Red Square.
The Russian president instructed the defense chief to make sure that there weren’t any risks to the health of the military parade’s participants.