MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. The ‘Immortal Regiment’ events commemorating those who fought during the Second World War have united eight million people across Russia, twice more than last year’s marches, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk told TASS on Tuesday.

"More than 2,000 events have taken place in Russian cities and towns within the framework of the ‘Immortal Regiment’ march," she said. "The ‘Immortal Regiment’ ranks have been joined by 7.8 million people throughout Russia."

In 2016, the ‘Immortal Regiment’ marches saw 6.2 million people, she said.

In Moscow, 850,000 people hit the streets for the commemorative event, breaking last year’s record.

The ‘Immortal Regiment’ march is an annual event dedicated to the victory in Great Patriotic War that claimed lives of 26.6 million Soviet people, both soldiers and civilians. During the march, people carry portraits of their relatives who fought or died during the war. Since 2015, the ‘Immortal Regiment’ march has been held in Russia and in other countries.