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Victory Day parade takes flight in Russia

Celebrating the defeat of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, Moscow rolls out its latest high-tech weaponry in Red Square.

Victory Day parade
Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day parade, marking the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, through Moscow's Red Square. [Grigory Dukor/Reuters]
Published On 9 May 2016

Russia showcased its modernised military war machine in a grand parade in Moscow’s Red Square on Monday, marking the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

An advanced air-defence missile system used to protect Russia’s military base in Syria was also on display, as were some of the fighter jets that have flown missions in that war-torn country.

The event, an annual fixture, took place under bright sunshine as President Vladimir Putin looked on from stands filled with Soviet war veterans.

In his speech, Putin largely confined his remarks to the importance of defeating the Nazis, but also spoke about the need today to fight global terrorism and cooperate with other nations in that effort.

An estimated 27 million of the former Soviet Union’s soldiers and civilians were killed during World War II.

Victory Day parade
Russian President Vladimir Putin and World War II veterans watch the Victory Day parade. [Grigory Dukor/Reuters]
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Victory Day parade
MiG-29 fighters and Su-27 jets fly in formation during Monday's parade. [Grigory Dukor/Reuters]
Victory Day parade
Vladimir Putin watches honour guards pass by during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin. [Maxim Shemetov/Reuters]
Victory Day parade
Battle tanks do a drive-by during the Victory Day military parade. [Pavel Golovkin/AP]
Victory Day parade
Russian servicewomen march during Monday's parade that celebrated the defeat of the Nazis. [Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters]
Victory Day parade
Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu salutes during the military parade in Moscow's Red Square. [EPA]
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Victory Day parade
Russian soldiers on the march. [Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP]
Victory Day parade
A mother and child dressed in an old Red Army uniform wait for the Victory Day parade to begin. [Grigory Dukor/Reuters]
Victory Day parade
The celebration on May 9 each year commemorates Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. [Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters]
Victory Day parade
People carrying portraits of relatives who died during the war march in a parade during commemorations in Almaty, Kazakhstan. [Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters]