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Ten million Russians hit streets for nationwide ‘Immortal Regiment’ marches - police

"Over 2,900 events have been held within the framework of the Immortal Regiment event throughout Russia. At least 10.4 million people marched carrying portraits of their relatives," Irina Volk said

MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. The Immortal Regiment march has united 10.4 million people across Russia, Russian Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Irina Volk said on Wednesday.

"Over 2,900 events have been held within the framework of the Immortal Regiment event throughout Russia. At least 10.4 million people marched carrying portraits of their relatives," she said.

Moscow broke last year’s record bringing together more than one million participants.

In 2017, about eight million people took part in the marches held across Russia.

The ‘Immortal Regiment’ march is an annual event held throughout Russia and in other countries. The event is dedicated to the victory in Great Patriotic War (or WWII) that claimed lives of about 28 million Soviet people, both soldiers and civilians. During the march, people carry portraits of their relatives who fought or died during the war.

The idea was born in the Russian Siberian city of Tyumen in 2007 and the march was called the Victors’ Parade. In 2012, another Siberian city of Tomsk picked up the torch renaming the rally as ‘Immortal Regiment.’ The next year, about 120 cities joined in. A year later, people carried portraits of their relatives, who fought during WWII, in 500 cities in seven countries. Since 2015, the ‘Immortal Regiment’ march has become a nationwide event.