A parade in honour of the 79th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War was held on Red Square in Moscow. It lasted about an hour, starting traditionally at 10:00 Moscow time. More than 9,000 people took part in it.

The banner group brought the Russian flag and the Victory Banner to Red Square to the music of the song “Holy War” performed by a combined military band.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted the veterans and then gave a speech in which he called 9 May a sacred holiday.

The leaders of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Laos, Guinea-Bissau, Cuba, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan arrived in Moscow to take part in the festivities.

The main part of the parade was a solemn procession of guard of honour, as well as regiments, battalions and companies of different types of troops of the Russian Armed Forces. Students of cadet, Suvorov and Nakhimov colleges, youth guard, Cossacks and female soldiers also marched along Red Square.

The broadcast from Red Square will appear on Moscow’s city screens. It will also be possible to watch it on Poklonnaya Hill. The Victory Museum located there will be free for visitors in honour of the holiday, except for two expositions, which can be viewed as part of excursions. Poklonnaya Hill will also host a theatre festival, exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, quizzes, master classes and literary readings.

One of the main platforms of the holiday will be the Square of the Belorussky railway station. It was here in 1945 that the trains with the winners arrived. Events in honour of Victory Day will be held in many city parks and museums, including Gorky Park and “Museon”, at VDNKh, Sokolniki and other places.

The Victory Parade was held for the first time on 24 June 1945. It was hosted by Marshal Georgy Zhukov, three times Hero of the Soviet Union. Subsequent solemn processions were held in 1965, 1985 and 1990. Since 1995, the Victory Parade has become an annual event.

Photo: screenshots of the live broadcast of the parade