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Russia’s top brass invites 19 foreign armies to take part in Victory Parade

The Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square will involve about 14,000 personnel
Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu Alexei Yereshko/Russian Defense Ministry's Press Office/TASS
Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu
© Alexei Yereshko/Russian Defense Ministry's Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/. Russia’s top brass has invited military units of 19 foreign armies to take part in the WWII Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square on June 24, Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said at the ministry’s conference call on Tuesday.

"The parade teams of 19 foreign states have been invited," Shoigu said.

The Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War will involve "about 14,000 personnel, including over 800 cadets of pre-University educational institutions and the Young Army movement," the defense chief said.

The parade will feature "225 items of armament, military and special hardware and 75 aircraft. The spectators will be able to see over 20 latest military models, including Su-57 and MiG-31K aircraft," the defense chief said.

Overall, the military parades in nine hero cities and 19 cities across Russia where the military districts, fleets and armies are headquartered, are expected to involve 64,000 personnel, 1,850 weapon systems and 511 aircraft, the defense minister said.

Military personnel with coronavirus immunity to take part in Victory Parade

The service members with the coronavirus immunity will comprise the basic part of the personnel that will march across Moscow’s Red Square during the Victory Parade, the defense chief said.

"Let me note that mostly service members with the COVID-19 immunity and without the signs of infectious diseases will be admitted to the parade," Shoigu said.

The Russian defense chief ordered "to exclude any contacts of the parade units’ personnel with servicemen and civilians who are not involved in the training [for the military parade]."

In preparing for the military parade, special epidemiological response measures have been envisaged to protect the personnel against the coronavirus infection both during their relocation and at their military bases, Shoigu stressed.

"At the places of deploying each parade unit, round-the-clock medical posts have been set up with the required equipment and gear. Units of radiological, chemical and biological protection troops are disinfecting the territory and military hardware," the defense minister said.

At a video conference with Defense Minister Shoigu on May 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the 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 battled for Stalingrad, liberated Europe and stormed Berlin, marched on Red Square.

The Russian president instructed the defense chief to exclude any risks for the health of the military parade’s participants.