Today Russia marks the main event of 2015 – the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory. Celebrations in honor of the Great Victory have became the most extensive in the history of modern Russian. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, some 12 million people took part in the events.
In the morning, Moscow's Red Square hosted the traditional Victory Day parade, attended by more than 16,500 soldiers, including 10 ceremonial squads from CIS countries, as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India, Mongolia, Serbia and China.
In total, about 200 pieces of military equipment were on Red Square, both of historical and modern design, for example, war machines on the platforms "Armata", "Kurganets" and "Boomerang", armored vehicles "Tiger" and "Typhoon", as well as the newest armored vehicles of the Airborne Forces – the airborne assault vehicle BMD-4M and armored personnel carriers "Rakushka". Spectators and viewers saw the guided weapon systems Iskander, S-400Triumph, Yars and self-propelled artillery, including the installation Coalition-SV. 140 planes and helicopters could also be seen.
Among those present were about 30 heads of states and governments of foreign countries and the heads of international organizations, including President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the President of China Xi Jinping, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, the chairman of the State Council of Cuba Raul Castro, President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiadis, President of India Pranab Mukherjee, President of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Victory Day Parades were held in 26 Russian cities and about 85,000 troops took part in the festivities dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory". The cities of the North Caucasus also held parades.
Residents of Grozny saw a theatrical performance, reproducing the assault of the Reichstag by Red Army soldiers. Afterwards, the leader of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, gave a speech. "The Soviet army cleared our country and Europe of the invaders, the sons of the Chechen people also made a contribution to this Victory – they valiantly fought on all fronts. In recognition of their achievements, the city of Grozny was declared City of Military Glory," Gazeta.ru quoted him as saying. The parade culminated in the descent of paratroopers who came down from above with the flags of Russia, Chechnya and the Banner of Victory.
The Victory Day Parade in the capital of Karachaevo-Cherkessia included light aircraft. Thousands of leaflets were dropped from the planes calling to "preserve peace and strengthen the unity of the peoples of Russia".
"In recent years we have seen attempts to falsify the history of the Second World War. It is our common duty to cherish and pass on from generation to generation the memory of the heroic feats of our soldiers and strengthen the unity of the peoples of Russia", said the head of the republic Rashid Temrezov.
About 15,000 people took part in celebrations in the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala. Military helicopters were present for the first time. The Victory Parade also included the cadet corps in honor of the Hero of Russia Colonel General Gennady Troshev, Sea Cadet Corps in honor of the Hero of the Soviet Union Magomed Gajiyev, veterans of the Afghan war, military orchestras, representatives of youth and patriotic associations, as well as military units stationed in Dagestan.
For the first time in many years, a Victory Day Parade was organized in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria.
"Persistence, courage and patriotism of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria became especially evident during fierce fighting in the republic, and during its occupation, which began in August 1942. The failure of the German advance on Nalchik- Ordzhonikidze, Malgobek-Grozny and Tuapse directions marked the beginning of the liberation of the occupied regions of the Caucasus," the head of the republic Yury Kokov said.
The "Immortal Regiment" marches also took place all over Russia. Russians went to the march with portraits of their relatives who fought in the Great Patriotic War. In Moscow, the march was attended by over 400,000 people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also joined the Immortal Regiment march, carrying a portrait of his father, a war veteran, in his hands.
"The value of this initiative is that it was not born in the offices, nor in the administrative structures, but in the hearts of our people", said the Russia President.
The Victory Day commemorations will end with traditional fireworks in Moscow with 70 artillery cannons situated in 16 parts of the city: on Poklonnaya Hill, in the Luzhniki Stadium, parks Izmailovo and Kuzminki, in Nagatino, Lianozovo, Tushino, Obruchevo, Novo-Peredelkino, Pokrovsky-Streshnevo, Mitino, South Butovo, VDNKh, among others.
