The day marking the triumph in the Great Patriotic War is one of Russia’s most revered holidays
FILE PHOTO: Victory Day military parade rehearsal in Moscow. © Sputnik / Alexey Nikolskiy
Military parades and other ceremonial events paying tribute to the valor and sacrifice of the Soviet people are taking place across Russia, with the centerpiece event kicking off in Moscow at 10am local time.
Thousands of troops and dozens of military vehicles will parade through Moscow’s iconic Red Square on May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany and its collaborators.
For over a decade, Victory Day has also featured a massive civilian march known as the Immortal Regiment, during which people carry portraits of their relatives who fought the Nazis. Dozens of Immortal Regiment marches have already taken place across the world over the past week – including in China, Africa, and Latin America – leading up to Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.
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09 May 2025
05:33 GMT
The Immortal Regiment online event begins at 12:00 local time across Russia, with replays available later, the organizers have told TASS.
Portraits of those who fought the Nazis during WWII will appear on social media, clothing, private vehicles, special equipment, aircraft fuselages, riverboats, in schools, kindergartens, and even on the front line, the press service has said, adding that the format “allows everyone to honor the memory of heroes in any way they can.”
- 05:21 GMT
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has urged Ukrainians and Moldovans not to give up on historical truth as they celebrate the Victory Day “behind closed shutters.”
“Be strong, find the means, find the energy to stand up for the truth, and do not give up.”
She warned that surrendering would lead to a replay of Nazi atrocities: “Otherwise, we will see a repetition of what has already happened – attempts to sort people into those who can live and breathe freely, and those destined to live only in ghettos.”
- 05:00 GMT
In a historic first, Mongolian border guards marched alongside their Russian counterparts in the Victory Day parade held in Kyzyl, the capital of Russia’s Tuva Republic, according to the regional government.
The Mongolian contingent was led by Lieutenant Colonel Lkhagva-Ochir Ochirsuren, deputy commander of the 45th Border Guard Detachment. Their participation underscored Mongolia’s longstanding support for the Soviet Union during World War II and its continued cooperation with Russia in border security.
“Mongolia was one of the first countries to officially declare military support for the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War,” the Tuva government noted. “Today, Mongolian and Russian border guards continue to jointly protect the state border in a spirit of friendship.”
The parade also featured soldiers and officers from Russia’s 55th Separate Guards Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade, including recent participants in the special military operation. For the first time, a combined unit of female service members from the brigade and a railway battalion took part in the march.
- 04:27 GMT
The military parade in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk featured over 2,500 participants and more than 30 pieces of military hardware.
The parade began with drummers from the Siberian Cadet Corps, followed by ceremonial flag bearers with standards of ten WWII fronts and troops in historic infantry, air force, and naval uniforms. Service members from the Central Military District, air defense troops, FSB border guards, cadets, law enforcement students, and Youth Army members – including from the Lugansk People’s Republic – marched through the square.
The legendary T-34 led the mechanized formation, joined by Iskander-M missile systems and Yars mobile launchers. For the first time, the column included BMP-2M infantry fighting vehicles and BRM-1KM reconnaissance units equipped for modern warfare, including FPV drone countermeasures.
More than 100 participants were veterans of Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine. The event concluded with a precision drill performance and a ceremonial unfurling of a giant Victory Banner replica, followed by the Immortal Regiment march through the city center.
- 04:15 GMT
Around 2,000 participants and 40 pieces of military equipment took part in the Victory Day parade in Ulan-Ude, the capital of Russia’s Republic of Buryatia, on Thursday, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany.
The parade opened with ceremonial color guards and featured historical reenactments, with troops in WWII-era uniforms marching alongside current military personnel. Visiting Mongolian service members joined the procession in a symbolic gesture of wartime alliance. Mongolian cavalry riders and thematic floats recreated key episodes of the Great Patriotic War, including the June 22, 1941 invasion and the Siberian infantry’s mobilization.
Festivities across Ulan-Ude will continue throughout the day, culminating in a fireworks display at 10pm local time.
- 03:36 GMT
Thousands of people took part in the Immortal Regiment march in the city of Magadan on the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, honoring the memory of relatives who fought in the Great Patriotic War.
The event featured a rare aerial tribute: helicopters flew over the city carrying portraits of Soviet airmen. Leading the airborne procession was a Mi-38 helicopter bearing the image of Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Borisov, who flew 80 long-range bombing missions during the war and struck Berlin five times. Among those honored was veteran Ivan Trusov, whose portrait was carried aloft by his grandson – now an aviator himself. The march concluded with a commemorative rally and concert at the central city square.
- 03:13 GMT
More than 3,000 troops and over 140 units of military and special equipment took part in a Victory Day parade in Russia’s far eastern city of Khabarovsk.
The parade featured a wide range of forces, including honor guards, cadets, decorated participants of the special military operation, and female service members. A mechanized column included WWII-era vehicles like the T-34 tank and BM-13 “Katyusha,” alongside modern systems such as the T-80BVM, Iskander-M missile complex, and S-400 air defense system.
Newly fielded gear such as the “Tornado-S” multiple rocket launcher, “Uran-6” demining robot, and Khabarovsk-built “Yerofey” buggies were also on display. The event concluded with a performance by the Khabarovsk garrison orchestra, which debuted the song “Rodnaya Strana.”
- 02:30 GMT
Belogorsk, the city of just over 60,000 residents in the Amur Region, also hosted a full-scale parade with more than 1,000 servicemen, 300 youth cadets, and around 20 units of military equipment, according to the Eastern Military District. Belogorsk hosts the headquarters of the Eastern Military District’s general army, making it the smallest locality in the country to regularly organize a Victory Day parade.
The march began with a drum corps, followed by troops from artillery, communications, air defense, logistics, and electronic warfare units, as well as radiation, chemical and biological protection personnel. Female service members also took part in unified parade formations.
The mechanized column was led by a legendary T-34-85 tank and the BM-13 “Katyusha” rocket launcher. These were followed by T-80BV tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, ARS-14KM decontamination units, and tracked Aleut all-terrain vehicles. For the first time, the column also included CF-500 quad bikes and Desert Cross 1000 utility vehicles.
- 01:52 GMT
The city of Chita in Eastern Russia celebrated the Victory Day with a large-scale military parade featuring nearly 2,000 participants and more than 50 units of combat and support equipment, the Eastern Military District has reported.
The event opened with the ceremonial presentation of the Russian flag and a copy of the Victory Banner. Marching in formation were servicemen from the Eastern Military District’s general army headquarters, air defense units, missile troops, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) defense specialists, as well as cadets, female personnel and police officers. The parade also featured a unified military orchestra of the Chita Garrison.
Historic T-34 tanks and SU-100 self-propelled guns led the mechanized column, followed by modern T-72B3M tanks equipped with upgraded 125mm guns and “Relikt” reactive armor. A notable element of this year’s event was the participation of decorated veterans from the special military operation, including recipients of the Order of Courage and medals “For Valor.”
Governor Aleksandr Osipov addressed attendees, paying tribute to the fallen of the Great Patriotic War and to those currently serving. “Today in the ranks and on the parade stands are participants of our generation’s war against Nazism,” he said.
- 01:50 GMT
The military parade in Vladivostok, held on the city’s central Lenin Square, featured over 1,900 participants, including more than 1,000 servicemen of the Pacific Fleet. Admiral Viktor Liina, Commander of the Pacific Fleet, presided over the event and honored veterans and fallen soldiers in his remarks.
“Veterans gave you freedom. Freedom to live, love, rejoice, create, and boldly move forward,” he said.
This year’s parade included troops in historical WWII uniforms, a special standard-bearing group carrying flags of Soviet war fronts, and units composed of participants in the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. The mechanized column featured more than 50 military vehicles, led by historic T-34 tanks and followed by modern systems including T-80BV tanks, BMP-3 infantry vehicles, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, and “Bal” and “Bastion” coastal missile systems.
The Immortal Regiment march followed immediately after, with thousads of residents carrying portraits of relatives who fought in the war.
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