RIO DE JANEIRO, June 22. /TASS/. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza will lead a government delegation that will take part in the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War (the Eastern Front during WWII where Russia fought against Nazi Germany) in Moscow on June 24, Russian Ambassador to that country Sergei Melik-Bagdasarov told TASS on Monday.

"Yesterday, we received information from our partners that it is planned to send a government delegation to Moscow. The delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza. It will also include Deputy Minister for Relations with Europe Ivan Gil. Along with participation in the commemorative events, the delegation will have a number of bilateral high-level contacts," the Russian diplomat said, adding that Venezuela marks its own national holiday, Battle of Carabobo Day, on June 24. It commemorates the decisive battle in the Venezuelan War of Independence.

"Venezuela also marks annual Army Day, with commemorative events and a military parade. So, Moscow and Caracas will hold parades on the same day, with both marking the events of major importance for the two countries’ liberation. I think it is quite symbolic," the Russian ambassador noted.

The Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square was to be held on May 9 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. On May 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the parade would be held on June 24, the day when the first Victory Parade took place in Moscow 75 years ago. Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to launch preparations for the parade and spare no effort to exclude any possible health risks for those who would take part in it. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, army units from 19 nations have been invited to take part.