Russia celebrates WW II victory

Military parade in Red Square marks 74th anniversary of German defeat

A grand military parade involving 13,000 soldiers and 132 weapons systems was held in Moscow's Red Square on Thursday, to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The annual Victory Day parade has been a tradition in Russia as the country commemorates the Soviet victory in World War II on May 9. In Moscow, the day is marked with a massive parade through the city center, showcasing the Russian military's tanks, planes, artillery and soldiers.

The parade began with the march of the banner group of the Preobrazhesnky Regiment's Honor Guard's battalion carrying the Russian flag and the legendary Victory Banner across Red Square. The Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag by soldiers of the 150th Idritskaya division in May 1945.

However, aviation participation, including a scheduled aerobatic flying of Su-30SM and MiG-29 fighter jets, was canceled due to bad weather.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with war veterans and guests, attended the parade, which started at 10 am local time after the national anthem.

Putin said in a speech that defending the true heroes of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War is a sacred duty in conditions when in some countries, some "shamelessly lie to their children" about the war and "are betraying their ancestors".

"The memory about the Great Patriotic War, about its truth, is our conscience and our responsibility. Today we see how in some countries they are deliberately distorting the events of the war, how they are making idols of those who forgot about their honor and human dignity and served the Nazis, how they are shamelessly lying to their children and betraying their ancestors," Putin said.

"Our sacred duty is to defend true heroes. We bow to all the veterans of the generation of victors," he said.

The veterans of the Great Patriotic War are now living in different countries but their feat "cannot be divided", Putin said. "We will always honor all of you, glorify the victory that was and remains one for all."

Putin said Russia will continue developing its defense potential but remains open for cooperation with other countries in fighting terrorism, extremism and neo-Nazism.

"We did and will continue doing all things necessary to ensure the high defense capability of our Armed Forces, the defense potential of the most advanced weapons and to further strengthen the prestige of the military service, soldiers and officers and Fatherland defenders," the Russian leader said.

After Putin's speech, servicemen from the Armed Forces, National Guard, military academies, the Emergencies Ministry and the Federal Security Service marched across the square as the military band played.

Kazakhstan First President Nursultan Nazarbayev showed up in the balcony of the Red Square as a guest to the parade, although Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had said earlier that the Kremlin did not invite any foreign leaders to the Victory Day Parade this year.

The Moscow Times said foreign attendance at the parade has been reduced in recent years. In 2018, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were the only two heads of state at the parade, while in 2017, Moldovan President Igor Dodon was the only leader to visit Moscow for Victory Day.

The first Victory Parade was given in the Red Square on June 24, 1945. It was commanded by Marshal of the Soviet Union Konstantin Rokossovsky and reviewed by Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov.

But there was no official celebration and parade from 1948 to 1965, when Victory Day was not officially celebrated. Since 1965, the victory's 20th anniversary, the parade has become an annual celebration and public holiday.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/10/2019 page12)