(Baonghean.vn) - On May 9th, the 72nd anniversary of Victory Day will be celebrated in 28 cities across Russia.
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| The main squares and streets of Moscow were all repurposed for rehearsals for the celebrations. The photo shows a vibrant folk dance performance being actively practiced by the dancers. |
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| A military band performs a rehearsal on a street in Saint Petersburg. |
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| Red Square in Moscow, the venue for the grand military parade, has been renovated, decorated, and secured to the highest standards in preparation for the event. |
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| Members of the "Night Wolves" motorcycle club – the "iron cavalry" – who serve as President Putin's bodyguards, take a moment to rest and pose for photos with tourists while gathering early for the parade. |
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| This year, for the first time, the public will have the opportunity to admire most of the Russian Army's most modern weapons participating in the parade on May 9, 2017. Pictured are specialized vehicles transporting weapons and equipment to the assembly point on May 7. |
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| A group of helicopters practiced flying in formation over Saint Petersburg. |
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| The Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War on Poklonnaya Hill, one of Moscow's top tourist attractions, houses more than 250,000 artifacts: documentary evidence, wartime photographs, personal belongings of those who participated in the war, weapons and military equipment. Pictured is a model recreating the moment of final victory on the battlefield. |
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| It is expected that 90,000 Soviet soldiers and veterans will participate in the solemn event commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the Great Patriotic War. In the photo, reporters from Nghe An Newspaper are taking a commemorative photo with Soviet veterans participating in the Victory Day celebration on May 9th. |
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| A delegation of officials and reporters from Nghe An Newspaper stands beside the memorial to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Great Patriotic War in Suzan city. |
Analysts suggest that maintaining the parade on odd-numbered anniversaries is a significant effort by Russia to preserve a cherished tradition that was interrupted in 1990. From 1991 to 1994, parades in Red Square were suspended. In 1995, the celebrations were restored, but not in Red Square. Since 1996, the tradition of holding a military parade in Red Square on Victory Day, May 9th, has been maintained – affirming a significant national holiday in Russia. The parade of heavy military equipment was officially restored in 2008, and is seen as an opportunity to showcase a powerful, united Russia, eager to maintain its victorious position under all circumstances. |
Reporters
(From Saint Petersburg)
