MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. A military parade to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War took place on Moscow’s Red Square.
The parade began with a march of the banner group of the Preobrazhensky Regiment Honor Guard’s unit carrying the Russian national flag and the legendary Victory Banner across Red Square. The Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag by soldiers of the 150th Idritskaya Rifle Division overnight to May 1, 1945.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, war veterans, guests and foreign leaders watched the parade from the central reviewing stand on Red Square. Defense Minister Andrey Belousov reviewed the parade, which was commanded by Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief, Hero of Russia Colonel General Andrey Mordvichev.
The Victory Day celebrations in Moscow were attended by leaders of foreign states, among them Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Malaysia Supreme Leader Sultan Ibrahim, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
For the first time, a military contingent from North Korea took part in the military parade on Moscow’s Red Square. The foot column comprised service members of higher military educational institutions of all military branches and separate armed services of the Russian Armed Forces.
About 1,000 Russian combatants of the special military operation, among them 17 Heroes of Russia, also marched ceremoniously across the cobblestones of Red Square during the Victory Day parade. Unmanned systems forces also took part in the military parade.
During a live broadcast of the military parade on Moscow’s Red Square, Russia’s TV Channel One showed videos of Russian troops accomplishing objectives in the special military operation area and also on-duty personnel at command posts of the Russian Strategic Missile Force.
Last year, Russia’s Victory Day parade on Moscow’s Red Square devoted to the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War involved over 11,000 troops, including 1,500 combatants of the special military operation and 183 WWII and advanced weapons systems. Military contingents from 13 countries also marched across Moscow’s Red Square during the jubilee year.
The military parade concluded with a fly-past of combat aircraft over Moscow’s Red Square. The aerobatic groups Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) flying Su-30SM fighter jets and Strizhi (Swifts) on MiG-29 jets performed the Kubinka Diamond stunt over the center of Moscow. They were followed by six Su-25 attack aircraft that released fumes in the colors of the Russian national flag.