Victory Day Parade
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Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
parades () are common
military parade A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as Drill team, drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the ...
s that are held on 9 May in some post-Soviet nations, primarily
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
,
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
, and Ukraine. They are usually held to honor the traditional
Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
holiday. In 2015, the Ukrainian government renamed the holiday as "
Victory Day over Nazism in World War II Victory Day over Nazism in World War II () was a national holiday and a non-working day in Ukraine from 2015 to 2023. The holiday was first celebrated on 9 May 2015 and followed the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on 8 May (which paid ...
" as part of
decommunization Decommunization in former communist states is the process of purging former communist high officials and eliminating communist symbols. It is sometimes referred to as political cleansing. Although the term has been occasionally used during t ...
laws and in 2023 moved the holiday to 8 May, renaming it to
Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939 – 1945 Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939 – 1945 () is a national holiday and non-working day in Ukraine established in 2023. Its first celebration was in 2024. The holiday is celebrated on 8 May and has replaced Victory ...
.


Victory parades as a holiday tradition

As Victory Day is the principal military holiday of Russia and of almost all member the countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization, regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an ar ...
, the celebrations in Moscow and other capital cities thus serve as national events to mark such an important holiday for millions of people around the world, marking the anniversary of the capitulation of
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
to the Allied Powers in 1945. The annual or semiannual parades mark the Allied victory in World War II on the Eastern Front, on the same day as the signing of the German act of capitulation to the victorious Allies in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, at midnight of May 9, 1945 ( Soviet time), officially concluding the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in Europe and northern parts of Africa. During the entire history of the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, only a total of four parades ever took place in Moscow and throughout the entire Soviet Union. In December 1947, the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet () was the standing body of the highest organ of state power, highest body of state authority in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).The Presidium of the Soviet Union is, in short, the legislativ ...
under
Josef Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...
, decreed that ''May 9th (Victory Day)'' would become a working day, effectively making the celebrations cancelled and ceased completely. However, on April 26, 1965, nearly twenty years after the first parade, under
Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (19 December 190610 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until Death and state funeral of Leonid Brezhnev, his death in 1982 as w ...
, the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet () was the standing body of the highest organ of state power, highest body of state authority in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).The Presidium of the Soviet Union is, in short, the legislativ ...
reversed the actions made in 1947, thus making May 9 a non-working holiday, this would be the first time Victory Day was made as an actual holiday. Further parades would be held in
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
and
1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...
. Until 1989 celebrations of Victory Day were held in most
Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...
countries (save for
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
, whose celebrations fell on 8 May except in 1975, when it was marked on 9 May). Of all the countries that observed it, only
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
held celebration parades every 5 years, also in honor of the successful
Prague Uprising The Prague uprising () was a partially successful attempt by the Czech resistance movement to liberate the city of Prague from German occupation in May 1945, during the end of World War II. The preceding six years of occupation had fuelled an ...
that ended on that day in 1945. In addition,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
(which was outside the
Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...
) also held occasional parades, with the former staging a massive parade in 1985 to mark the ruby jubilee anniversary and the latter following the practice of Czechoslovakia of parades every 5th anniversary beginning with the 20th anniversary in 1965. In 2020, many of the traditional parades were cancelled, with the only ones being held in
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
and
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...
. The main parade in Russia, as well as parades in
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
and
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
were cancelled as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. In response to these massive cancellations,
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
regional director for
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
Hans Kluge referred to these cancellations as "a brave decision", highlighting their holiday significance.


Purpose

According to Russian anthropologist Sergey Ushakin, modern victory parades are intended to demonstrate the direct and immediate connection of the present with the past and to materialize the connection between generations. General Oleg Salyukov, who has commanded the parade for close to a decade, described them in an interview with
TASS The Russian News Agency TASS, or simply TASS, is a Russian state-owned news agency founded in 1904. It is the largest Russian news agency and one of the largest news agencies worldwide. TASS is registered as a Federal State Unitary Enterpri ...
as a "celebration for people, not show of militarism" referring to accusations of the parade being used as show of Russian military might.


Parades in the Russian Federation

Today,
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, as the largest of the countries of the former Soviet Union, continues the practice of parades held in honor of the victory won in the
Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front, also known as the Great Patriotic War (term), Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and its successor states, and the German–Soviet War in modern Germany and Ukraine, was a Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II ...
- the Eastern Front of the Second World War as called by the Soviet Union. The first of these parades was held in 1995 (5 years after the
fall of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of Nationalities, Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. :s: ...
) under the auspices of President
Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin (1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician and statesman who served as President of Russia from 1991 to 1999. He was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1961 to ...
, who held the parade to commemorate the
golden jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali language, ...
of the Soviet and allied victory in the war. The parade was the only one to date that had to be divided into two parts (a full military parade on
Poklonnaya Hill Poklonnaya Gora (, literally "Bow-Down Hill"; metaphorically "Worshipful Submission Hill"') is, at 171.5 m, one of the highest natural spots in Moscow. Its two summits were separated by the Setun River until one of the summits was razed in 1987. ...
and a veterans ceremony on
Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', p=ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ) is one of the oldest and largest town square, squares in Moscow, Russia. It is located in Moscow's historic centre, along the eastern walls of ...
).


Red Square, Moscow

The most important parade of those being held on May 9 is the one held on Moscow's
Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', p=ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ) is one of the oldest and largest town square, squares in Moscow, Russia. It is located in Moscow's historic centre, along the eastern walls of ...
, with the
President of Russia The president of Russia, officially the president of the Russian Federation (), is the executive head of state of Russia. The president is the chair of the State Council (Russia), Federal State Council and the President of Russia#Commander-in-ch ...
as the guest of honor and keynote speaker in virtue of his constitutional mandate as Supreme Commander of the
Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...
. On the morning of the day, an estimated 14,000 military personnel, including a regiment of female cadets and youth cadets, assemble by battalions on the square together with the Massed Bands of around 1,100 bandsmen under the direction of the Senior Director of Music of the
Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia The Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation serves as the official service of military bands in active service within the Russian Armed Forces and formerly the Soviet Armed Forces. It is part of the Military Band Servic ...
(an appointment bestowed to either a colonel or a general rank officer), together with more than 210 vehicles and 3,800 vehicle crews assembled on Tverskaya Street just north of the
Manezhnaya Square, Moscow Manezhnaya (, , ) is a pedestrian public space, open space in the Tverskoy District, at the heart of Moscow. It is bound by the Hotel Moskva (Moscow), Hotel Moskva to the east, the State Historical Museum and the Alexander Garden to the south, ...
, during the major parades a battalion or company of historical Red Army vehicles, estimated at around 36 vehicles and composed of just the
T-34 The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank from World War II. When introduced, its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was more powerful than many of its contemporaries, and its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against Anti-tank warfare, ...
, GAZ-67 and the SU-100 plus the optional BM-13N (or at around an estimated 480 when counting other vehicles of the war which would take part just like in the parades of 1985 and 1990) assemble on the street as well with modern military hardware of the Armed Forces and the National Guard (and optionally by the other uniformed organizations). Each of the contingents, since 1996, carry historical military colors of the 1942 (Red Army, Soviet Air Force, People's Militia) and 1932–1944 (Navy) patterns at the head of their formations honoring the millions of men and women who served in the ranks of the military and law enforcement services of the former Soviet Union during the long period of the Eastern Front of the Second World War, and the millions among them who were either killed or were missing in action. The celebrations begin at 9:55 am Moscow Standard Time with the arrival of the President and the
Prime Minister of Russia The prime minister of the Russian Federation, also domestically stylized as the chairman of the government of the Russian Federation and widely recognized as the prime minister, is the head of government of Russia and the second highest ranking ...
to a special grandstand in front of
Lenin's Mausoleum Lenin's Mausoleum, also known as Lenin's Tomb, is a mausoleum located at Red Square in Moscow, Russia. It serves as the resting place of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, whose preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death ...
, where six of the past parades were reviewed by national leaders. They greet the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, service commanders, deputy ministers in the Ministry of Defence and commanders of the support units within the Armed Forces, together with veterans, veterans' families and representatives of the Suvorov and Nakhimov Schools assembled. To the left and right of the grandstand are the stands wherein veterans, veterans' families, and descendants and families of personnel killed in action are gathered. In between the grandstand to the south of the stands are two platoons of armed linemen and markers from the
154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment serves as the official honor guard regiment of the Russian Armed Forces and serves as the main honor guard unit of the armed forces, stationed in Moscow. Aside from being the honor guard ...
in the Imperial-styled military uniforms and some unarmed half-companies of the Kremlin Regiment, both of which would be later taking post to mark the distance of the troops marching past and to line the square's western side facing the Kremlin together with extra drum majors from the Band Service, which are there to coordinate the march past to be timed in with the music of the bands since the parade of 1995. As the
Spasskaya Tower The Spasskaya Tower (), also translated as the Saviour Tower, is the main tower on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin which overlooks Red Square. History Early history The construction of the Spasskaya Tower was commissioned by Grand Prince ...
of the
Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin (fortification), Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Mosco ...
sounds the chimes at 10 am the parade commander orders the parade to present arms as the 154th PICR's 1st Honor Guard Company Colour Guard, to the melody of ''
The Sacred War "The Sacred War", also known as "Arise, Great Country!", is one of the most famous Soviet songs of World War II. The music is by Alexander Alexandrov, founder of the Alexandrov Ensemble and the musical composer of the State Anthem of the Sovi ...
'' being played by the Massed Bands, marches into the square and past the dignitaries with guard carrying both the
Flag of Russia The national flag of the Russia, Russian Federation (, ) is a tricolour of three equal horizontal bands: white on the top, blue in the middle, and red on the bottom. The design was first introduced by Tsar Peter the Great in 1693, and in 1705 ...
and the
Victory Banner The Victory Banner or Banner of Victory () was the banner raised by Red Army soldiers on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 1 May 1945, the day after Adolf Hitler committed suicide. This particular banner was raised by three Soviet soldiers ...
. As the colour guards approach the grandstand, the colour officers execute eyes left and resume above face after passing by. This is followed by the parade being commanded to stand at ease after the colours take their place at the northwest end of the square fronting the
State Historical Museum The State Historical Museum () of Russia is a museum of History of Russia, Russian history located between Red Square and Manezhnaya Square, Moscow, Manege Square in Moscow. The museum's exhibitions range from relics of prehistoric tribes that li ...
, besides the colour of the Armed Forces. Then the Minister of Defence (usually a billet of a General of the Army) is driven on the limousine to the center of the square nearest the tribune, the parade presenting arms again at this point. The parade commander informs him of the readiness of the parade to be inspected. The report is received, and to the tune of the Massed Bands, the Minister and the parade commander are driven to inspect the parading contingents each together with the bands. As the limousines stop the Minister sends Victory Day greetings to each of the parading contingents, in which they respond with a threefold loud ''
Oorah ''Oorah'' is a battle cry common in the United States Marine Corps since the mid-20th century. Several anecdotes attributed the phrase to John R. Massaro's time as a gunnery sergeant in the Reconnaissance Company, 1st Marine Division, in th ...
'' that is heard all over the grounds. After the final greeting, the Massed Bands strike up to ''
Slavsya "Slav’sya!", () is the name of the final song in the epilogue of Mikhail Glinka's first opera ''A Life for the Tsar'' (1836) and now considered as one of Russia's greatest classical and patriotic anthems of the 19th century. The original versi ...
'' from
A Life for the Tsar ''A Life for the Tsar'' ( ) is a "patriotic-heroic tragic" opera in four acts with an epilogue by Mikhail Glinka. During the Soviet era the opera was known under the name '' Ivan Susanin'' ( ), due to the anti-monarchist censorship. The original ...
as the PC returns to his place, the Minister driven to the grandstand amidst loud shouts of ''Oorah'' by the parade contingents where he dismounts the limousine and the
Corps of Drums A corps of drums, sometimes known as a fife and drum corps or simply field music, is a traditional European military music formation. Historically, a Corps of Drums' primary role was communication. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Dru ...
of the
Moscow Military Music College The Valery Khalilov Moscow Suvorov Military Music College is one of the leading military music institutions in Russia. It is a separate branch of the Suvorov Military Schools in Russia, and the oldest of them all (opened 1937). History On Augu ...
, an affiliate of the Suvorov Military Schools, take their place behind the parade commander's car led by the Commandant of the college and the college colour guard. The parade is ordered to stand at ease after the Minister informs the President that the parade is formed up for the march past in review and its inspection officially completed. In 1965, 1985 and 1990 parades, the limousines would inspect the personnel of the mobile column at the Manezhnaya Square formed into battalions, in remembrance of the mounted inspection of the original 1945 parade, which included cavalry,
tachanka A tachanka (Russian and ) was a horse-drawn cart (such as charabanc) or an open wagon with a heavy machine gun mounted on the rear side. A tachanka could be pulled by two to four mules and required a crew of two or three (one driver and a machin ...
s and
horse artillery Horse artillery was a type of light, fast-moving, and fast-firing field artillery that consisted of light cannons or howitzers attached to light but sturdy two-wheeled carriages called caissons or limbers, with the individual crewmen riding on h ...
in addition to the huge mobile column. Following the report of the Minister of Defence, the keynote holiday address to the nation of the President follows, preceded by a fanfare by the Massed Bands, usually Govovin's ''Moscow Fanfare''. As the president finishes the address and a threefold ''Oorah'' resounds all over the square by the entire parade assembled and the honor guard presents arms, the Massed Bands play the
National Anthem of Russia The "State Anthem of the Russian Federation" is the national anthem of Russia. It uses the same melody as the " State Anthem of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics", composed by Alexander Alexandrov, and new lyrics by Sergey Mikhalkov, ...
and a ceremonial battery armed with the
76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3) The 76-mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3) () (GRAU index: 52-P-354U) was a Soviet 76.2 mm divisional field gun used during World War II. ''ZiS'' was a factory designation and stood for ''Zavod imeni Stalina'' ("factory named after Stalin"), th ...
fire a 21-gun salute. As the anthem ends, the bands sound Retreat as the honor guard executes order arms and the parade commander orders the parade to commence the march past in the following manner: ::''Parade... attention! Ceremonial march past!''
''Form battalions! Distance by a single lineman! First battalion will remain in the right, remainder... left.. turn!''
''Slope.. arms!'' As the command is given to start the linemen take their places and the field markers also as well at the south end of the square. As the PC ends the commands with ''Eyes to the right, forward, quick march!'' the Corps of Drums of the Moscow Military Music College, as is their tradition since 1938, march first to the tune of the "General Miloradovich" by one of its late alumni, Lieutenant General
Valery Khalilov Valery Mikhaylovich Khalilov (; 30 January 1952 – 25 December 2016) was an Uzbek-born Russian military band conductor and composer. A lieutenant general in the Russian military, he was the Senior Director of Music of the Military Band Servi ...
, one of the longest-serving Senior Directors of Music of the Military Band Service and conductor of the Moscow area massed bands from 2002 to 2016, being played by the drummers and fifers. As the massed bands start playing the Corps of Drums stop playing by the signal of the Corps Drum Major and swings its drumsticks while on the eyes right. The Corps is followed by the colour guard of the 154th PICR and its 1st Honor Guard Company, during jubilee parades, the colour guard is followed by a company of colour bearers carrying the front standards in the order of their marchpast in the 1945 Victory Parade and their escorts, colours from the regiments, brigades, and divisions which took part in the original 1945 parade and a historical unit of servicemen in period uniforms, optionally joined by the
Kuban Cossacks Kuban Cossacks (; ), or Kubanians (, ''kubantsy''; , ''kubantsi''), are Cossacks who live in the Kuban region of Russia. Most of the Kuban Cossacks are descendants of different major groups of Cossacks who were re-settled to the western Norther ...
, in memory of their contingent which marched past on that very parade, and the Escort Cavalry Squadron of the
Kremlin Regiment The Kremlin Regiment (), also called the Presidential Regiment (), is a unique military regiment and part of the Russian Federal Protective Service (Russia), Federal Protective Service with the status of a special unit. The regiment ensures the s ...
plus a number of international contingents. Once the ground column ends, the bands stop playing and, to give way to the mobile column by marching towards the facade of the GUM department store. The mobile column starts with the drive past of historical vehicles in jubilee years and only a T-34/85 medium battle tank carrying the Victory Banner non-special anniversary years.


Russian parades held outside Moscow

As per tradition, 27 other Russian major cities (
Sevastopol Sevastopol ( ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Due to its strategic location and the navigability of the city's harbours, Sevastopol has been an important port and naval base th ...
and
Kerch Kerch, also known as Keriç or Kerich, is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of Founded 2,600 years ago as the Colonies in antiquity#Greek colonies, ancient Greek colony Pantik ...
in the disputed
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
included) are expected to hold commemorative parades on that day (some of them including flypasts and fleet reviews during jubilee years), and joint civil-military parades are hosted by 50 other towns and cities nationwide. Many of these parades are modeled primarily on the Moscow parade. The following plazas in cities outside of Moscow hold military parades: *
Palace Square Palace Square ( rus, Дворцо́вая пло́щадь, r=Dvortsovaya Ploshchad, p=dvɐrˈtsovəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ), connecting Nevsky Prospekt with Palace Bridge leading to Vasilievsky Island, is the central city square of St Petersb ...
(
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
) *Soviet Square (
Smolensk Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
) *Victory Square ( Tula) * Victory Square (
Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...
) *Lenin Square (
Voronezh Voronezh ( ; , ) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on the Southeastern Railway, which connects wes ...
) *
Minin and Pozharsky Square The Minin and Pozharsky Square (), also known as just Minin Square, is the main square of Nizhny Novgorod. It is a social and cultural center of the city, the venue of the most important celebrations. It is located in the Historic centre of Nizhn ...
(
Nizhny Novgorod Nizhny Novgorod ( ; rus, links=no, Нижний Новгород, a=Ru-Nizhny Novgorod.ogg, p=ˈnʲiʐnʲɪj ˈnovɡərət, t=Lower Newtown; colloquially shortened to Nizhny) is a city and the administrative centre of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast an ...
) * Five Corners (
Murmansk Murmansk () is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast in the far Far North (Russia), northwest part of Russia. It is the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle and sits on both slopes and banks of a modest fjord, Ko ...
) *Primorskoy Square (
Severomorsk Severomorsk (), known as Vayenga () until 18 April 1951, is a closed city, closed types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Severomorsk is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The town is sit ...
) * 1905 Square (
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg (, ; ), alternatively Romanization of Russian, romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( ; 1924–1991), is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District, Russia. The ci ...
) *Millennium Square (
Kazan Kazan; , IPA: Help:IPA/Tatar, ɑzanis the largest city and capital city, capital of Tatarstan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka (river), Kazanka Rivers, covering an area of , with a population of over 1. ...
) *Lenin Square (
Novosibirsk Novosibirsk is the largest city and administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast and the Siberian Federal District in Russia. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, it had a population of 1,633,595, making it the most populous city in Siber ...
) * Kuybyshev Square (
Samara Samara, formerly known as Kuybyshev (1935–1991), is the largest city and administrative centre of Samara Oblast in Russia. The city is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Samara (Volga), Samara rivers, with a population of over 1.14 ...
) * Theatre Square (
Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East European Plain on the Don River, from the Sea of Azov, directly north of t ...
) *Square of Fallen Fighters (
Volgograd Volgograd,. formerly Tsaritsyn. (1589–1925) and Stalingrad. (1925–1961), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. The city lies on the western bank of the Volga, covering an area of , with a population ...
) *Lenin Square (
Novorossiysk Novorossiysk (, ; ) is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is one of the largest ports on the Black Sea. It is one of the few cities designated by the Soviet Union as a Hero City. The population was History In antiquity, the shores of the ...
) *Freedom Square (
Vladikavkaz Vladikavkaz, formerly known as Ordzhonikidze () or Dzaudzhikau (), is the capital city of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia. It is located in the southeast of the republic at the foothills of the Caucasus, situated on the Terek (river), Terek River. ...
) *Lenin Square (
Astrakhan Astrakhan (, ) is the largest city and administrative centre of Astrakhan Oblast in southern Russia. The city lies on two banks of the Volga, in the upper part of the Volga Delta, on eleven islands of the Caspian Depression, from the Caspian Se ...
) *Lenin Square (
Stavropol Stavropol (, ), known as Voroshilovsk from 1935 until 1943, is a city and the administrative centre of Stavropol Krai, in southern Russia. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 547,820, making it one of Russia's fastest growing cities. E ...
) *Admiral
Pavel Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov (, ; – ) was a Russian admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy known for his victory in the Battle of Sinop and his leadership in the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) during the Crimean War. He joined the Imper ...
Square (
Sevastopol Sevastopol ( ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Due to its strategic location and the navigability of the city's harbours, Sevastopol has been an important port and naval base th ...
) *Lenin Square (
Kerch Kerch, also known as Keriç or Kerich, is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of Founded 2,600 years ago as the Colonies in antiquity#Greek colonies, ancient Greek colony Pantik ...
) *Lenin Square (
Simferopol Simferopol ( ), also known as Aqmescit, is the second-largest city on the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula. The city, along with the rest of Crimea, is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, but controlled by Russia. It is considered the cap ...
) *Platov Square (
Novocherkassk Novocherkassk () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located near the confluence of the Tuzlov and Aksay Rivers, the latter a distributary of the Don (river), Don River. Novocherkassk is best known as the ...
) * Lenin Square (
Khabarovsk Khabarovsk ( ) is the largest city and the administrative centre of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia,Law #109 located from the China–Russia border, at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, about north of Vladivostok. As of the 2021 Russian c ...
) *Ship Embankment (
Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...
) *Central Square (
Ussuriysk Ussuriysk () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Primorsky Krai, Russia, in the valley of the Razdolnaya River. The city is north of Vladivostok, the administrative center of the krai, and about from both the China–Russia bo ...
) *Central Square (
Belogorsk Belogorsk or Bilohirsk (; ) is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia and Ukraine. ;Urban localities *Belogorsk, Amur Oblast, a town in Amur Oblast in Russia; administratively incorporated as an ...
) *Lenin Square ( Chita) *Council Square (
Ulan-Ude Ulan-Ude (; , ; , ) is the capital city of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River, Buryatia, Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga River, Selenga. According to the Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census, 43 ...
) *Glory Square (
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (, , ) is a city and the administrative center of Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. It is located on Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East, north of Japan. Gas and oil extraction as well as processing are amongst the main industries on ...
) Like Moscow, regional parades in recent years have included foreign troops in their parades. On the 65th anniversary in 2010, French troops took part in a parade in
Murmansk Murmansk () is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast in the far Far North (Russia), northwest part of Russia. It is the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle and sits on both slopes and banks of a modest fjord, Ko ...
while American sailors paraded in
Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...
. This occurred once again in 2013 in Vladivostok during which American Pacific Fleet troops and sailors from the
French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...
took part in the 68th anniversary parade, greeting the parade inspector in their native languages before sounding a Russian-style threefold "Ura!" Foreign cadet contingents also take part in the parade in St. Petersburg and
Omsk Omsk (; , ) is the administrative center and largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia and has a population of over one million. Omsk is the third List of cities and tow ...
. In 2020, it was confirmed that foreign servicemen from the armed forces of
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
,
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
,
Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...
and
Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...
will take part in the parade in
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg (, ; ), alternatively Romanization of Russian, romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( ; 1924–1991), is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District, Russia. The ci ...
, as well an 80-man contingent from
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
in
Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East European Plain on the Don River, from the Sea of Azov, directly north of t ...
, plans which were later scrapped. In
Ulan-Ude Ulan-Ude (; , ; , ) is the capital city of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River, Buryatia, Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga River, Selenga. According to the Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census, 43 ...
in 2021, a contingent of the
Mongolian Armed Forces The Mongolian Armed Forces () is the collective name for the Mongolian military and the joint forces that comprise it. It is tasked with protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Mongolia. Defined as the peacetime co ...
took part in the parade for the first time. Palace Square, St. Petersburg The first Victory parade in the city was the Parade of Guards () on 8 July 1945 was held in then Leningrad in the presence of at least half a million Leningraders. The parade consisted of servicemen from guards units of the
Leningrad Front The Leningrad Front () was formed during the 1941 German approach on Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front on August 27, 1941. History The Leningrad Front was immediately ...
, all of which marched on
Nevsky Prospect Nevsky Prospect ( rus, Не́вский проспе́кт, r=Nevsky Prospekt, p=ˈnʲɛfskʲɪj prɐˈspʲɛkt) is a main street ( high street) located in the federal city of St. Petersburg in Russia. Its name comes from the Alexander Nevs ...
. On 9 May 1965, the first parade celebration of the 20th anniversary of the victory took place on the Palace Square grounds. Ship Embankment, Vladivostok Victory Parades in Vladivostok first began in 1965. Despite this it is generally considered that the first parade in honor of the victory in Vladivostok on
Svetlanskaya Street Svetlanskaya Street () is a major street in Vladivostok, Russia. History Svetlanskaya Street was originally called Amerikanskaya Street after the corvette ''Amerika'', but was renamed in 1873 in honor of the frigate ''Svetlana'' which brought ...
took place in 1918 dedicated to the First World War, attended by British, American and French troops. Svetlanskaya later went on to host ten victory parades, held infrequently. The traditional part of parade was reduced to the construction of areas of the central square, which resulted in parades, such as one in 2009, being held under the monument to the Red Army soldier. In 2011, the victory parade in Vladivostok moved from the central square to Ship Embankment, which was a controversial move that caused debate. Since 2012, official Victory Parades have been held annually on the street. Lenin Square, Khabarovsk The parade in the city of
Khabarovsk Khabarovsk ( ) is the largest city and the administrative centre of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia,Law #109 located from the China–Russia border, at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, about north of Vladivostok. As of the 2021 Russian c ...
is the main one in the
Eastern Military District The Order of the Red Banner Eastern Military District ( Russian: Восточный военный округ) is a military district of Russia. It is one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction wi ...
. It is also unique for being the only parade wherein a Russian Orthodox Church priest blesses each of the marching contingents with
holy water Holy water is water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy or a religious figure, or derived from a well or spring considered holy. The use for cleansing prior to a baptism and spiritual cleansing is common in several religions, from ...
after marching past the dais. In 2019, the American
M4 Sherman The M4 Sherman, officially medium tank, M4, was the medium tank most widely used by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. I ...
medium tank, one of the many
Lend-Lease Sherman tanks The United States provided tens of thousands of its Medium Tank M4, also named the Sherman, to many of its Allies during the Second World War, under the terms of Lend-Lease. International distribution This chart shows Lend-Lease shipments ...
supplied to the Soviet Union by the United States military industry, took part in the mobile column of the parade for the first time, after over a year of restoration work after being found by divers at the bottom of the Barents Sea. This was unprecedented, as this was the first time in years that a Lend-Lease vehicle used by the Soviet Army drove past on a regional parade in the city. 1905 Square, Yekaterinburg Unlike other cities, parades in
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg (, ; ), alternatively Romanization of Russian, romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( ; 1924–1991), is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District, Russia. The ci ...
(known in the Soviet era as Sverdlovsk) weren't held until 1975, a year when the parade in Moscow wasn't event being held despite it being a jubilee year. Another parade was held on 1905 Square in 1980. Parades returned in 1992, after the merger/creation of the
Volga–Ural Military District The Volga–Ural Military District was a military district of the Russian Ground Forces, formed on 1 September 2001 by the amalgamation of the Volga Military District and the Ural Military District. The headquarters of the Ural Military District, ...
caused large-scale parades in the region to be moved to Samara. In 2005, Yekaterinburg was one of four cities in Russia (along with Moscow, Khabarovsk and
Krasnoyarsk Krasnoyarsk is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. It is situated along the Yenisey, Yenisey River, and is the second-largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk, with a p ...
), where heavy military equipment directly took part in the parade. The record number of military equipment participating in the parade was recorded in 2010. In 2015, aircraft were first introduced into the parade. Lenin Square, Novorossiysk The 2021 parade in Novosibirsk was the first ever regional parade since 1990 that featured the
Strategic Missile Forces The Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation or the Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation (RVSN RF; ) is a separate combat arm of the Russian Armed Forces that controls Russia's land-based intercontinental ballistic miss ...
'
RS-24 Yars The RS-24 Yars (РС-24 Ярс – ракета стратегическая (strategic missile)-modification 24) also known as Topol-MR, NATO reporting name SS-29 or SS-27 Mod 2), is a Russian MIRV-equipped, thermonuclear armed intercontinen ...
mobile ICBM system from the city-based 39th Guards Rocket Division, the first time in years that ICBMs made their appearance at the end of the mobile column segment of the parade in the city and an unprecedented decision by the parade organizers. Kazan Kremlin The principal parade of
Tatarstan Tatarstan, officially the Republic of Tatarstan, sometimes also called Tataria, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia located in Eastern Europe. It is a part of the Volga Federal District; and its capital city, capital and largest city i ...
, beginning 2012, has been held on the grounds of Kazan Millenium Square, outside the
Kazan Kremlin The Kazan Kremlin (; ) is the chief historic citadel of Russia, situated in the city of Kazan. It was built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the former castle of list of Kazan khans, Kazan khans. It was declared a World Heritage ...
, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and at the front of Kazan Arena. Crimea Parades held in the occupied Ukrainian
Republic of Crimea Crimea, or the Crimean Peninsula, historically also known as the ''Tauric Chersonese'' (Tauric Peninsula, Tauric, Taurica, or Tauris), is a major peninsula in the north of the Black Sea. Crimea may also refer to: Places Crimean Peninsula Republic ...
are spread across three cities:
Sevastopol Sevastopol ( ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Due to its strategic location and the navigability of the city's harbours, Sevastopol has been an important port and naval base th ...
,
Simferopol Simferopol ( ), also known as Aqmescit, is the second-largest city on the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula. The city, along with the rest of Crimea, is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, but controlled by Russia. It is considered the cap ...
and
Kerch Kerch, also known as Keriç or Kerich, is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of Founded 2,600 years ago as the Colonies in antiquity#Greek colonies, ancient Greek colony Pantik ...
. The first large-scale procession took place in 1960 at the city stadium in Simferopol. Since the 90s, the most grandiose parades, were held in Sevastopol, a
Hero City Hero City may refer to: * Hero City (Soviet Union), awarded 1965–1985 to cities now in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine * Hero City of Ukraine, awarded 2022 * Hero Cities of Yugoslavia, awarded 1970–1975 See also *City of Heroes ''City of H ...
. For a number of years, a joint parade of the Russian
Black Sea Fleet The Black Sea Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea Fleet, along with other Russian ground and air forces on the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula, are subordin ...
and the
Ukrainian Navy The Ukrainian Navy (), is the Navy, maritime force of Ukraine and one of the eight Military branch, service branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The naval forces consist of five components: surface forces, submarine forces, Ukrainian Naval ...
took place in the city, featuring both Ukrainian and Russian parade commanders and inspectors. Since the 2014
Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation In February and March 2014, Russia invaded the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula, part of Ukraine, and then annexed it. This took place in the relative power vacuum immediately following the Revolution of Dignity. It marked the beginning of the Russ ...
, parades have been solely held by Russia, with the first parade in May of that year commemorating the 70th anniversary of its liberation. President Vladimir Putin also visited the city to attend a fleet review after reviewing the parade in Moscow that day. No parade at all within Sevastopol, Simferopol and Kerch was held in 2025 because of Ukrainian UAV attacks on Russian military installations in the peninsula and the threat of futher Ukrainian military action even targeting government facilities.


Russian parades outside the country

The following bases in foreign countries hold military parades: *
Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...
-
Russian 201st Military Base The Russian 201st Military Base (; ) is a Russian military base based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, part of the Central Military District. It was originally raised twice in World War II as part of the Soviet Union's Red Army and is now part of the ...
During the annual parade at
Khmeimim Air Base Khmeimim Air Base (), also Hmeimim Air Base (), is a Syrian airbase currently operated by Russia, located south-east of the city of Latakia in , Latakia Governorate, Syria and approximately 2 miles north-east of the coastal town of Jableh. The a ...
in
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
, a unit from the
Syrian Arab Armed Forces The Syrian Arab Armed Forces (SAAF; ) were the combined armed forces of Syria from 1963 to 2024. They served during the rule of the Ba'ath Party in Syria. The SAAF consisted of the Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air De ...
usually participates in the parade.


Incidents

In 2004, during a victory parade in the Chechen city of
Grozny Grozny (, ; ) is the capital city of Chechnya, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, it had a population of 328,533 — up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Russian Census, 2002 ce ...
, a bomb exploded, killing 10 people including the Chechen President
Akhmad Kadyrov Akhmat-Khadzhi Abdulkhamidovich Kadyrov (23 August 1951 – 9 May 2004) was a Chechen politician and revolutionary who served as Chief Mufti of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in the 1990s during and after the First Chechen War. At the outbreak ...
.


History of parades in different countries


Parades held in recognized nations

Armenia Annual victory day parades in
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
are held in
Gyumri Gyumri (, ) is an urban municipal community and the List of cities and towns in Armenia, second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th centur ...
on the central square of the city, being presided by the Commander-in-Chief of the United Group of Forces and taking place with the participation of troops from the
Russian 102nd Military Base The Russian 102nd Military Base (; ) is a List of Russian military bases abroad, Russian military base in Gyumri, Armenia, under the command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. During the Soviet era, forces in Armenia ...
, the Leninakan Border Detachment of the Federal Security Service of Russia, and military personnel of the
Armed Forces of Armenia The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia (, abbreviated ՀՀ ԶՈՒ, ''HH ZU''), sometimes referred to as the Armenian Army (), is the national military of Armenia. It consists of personnel branches under the General Staff of the Armenian Arme ...
. The first one took place in 2014, after having not been held since 1993. Officials in attendance are the Governor of the
Shirak Region Shirak (, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province () of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering the provinces of Lori Province, Lori to the east and Aragatsotn Province, Aragatsotn to the south and southeast, and the cou ...
, the Mayor of Gyumri, and the Bishop of the Diocese of Shirak. In 2015, pilots of the Russian airbase in Armenia participated in a flypast over Gyrumi and
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...
for the first time in honor of the platinum jubilee. Because the 2020 celebrations in honor of the holiday and
Shushi Liberation Day Shushi Liberation Day () is a national holiday celebrated in Armenia and formerly in the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. It is commemorated on both 8 and 9 May as a way to celebrate the anniversary of the Capture of Shushi and the Siege of St ...
were cancelled by order of Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinyan Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan (born 1 June 1975) is an Armenian politician who is serving as the 16th and current Prime Minister of Armenia, prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in ...
due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, a fly past of the
Armenian Air Force The Armenian Air Force () is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Armenia formed by independent Armenia in 1992 in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Outside its conventional name, it has also been referred to as the Aviation Departm ...
was held at the Mother Armenia monument. Belarus Victory parades in
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
have dated back to Soviet parades in the former
Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, Byelorussian SSR or Byelorussia; ; ), also known as Soviet Belarus or simply Belarus, was a republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). It existed between 1920 and 1922 as an independent state, and ...
. They are usually held on jubilee years (e.g. 50th anniversary, 65th anniversary). Czechoslovakia During the period of the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, (Czech language, Czech and Slovak language, Slovak: ''Československá socialistická republika'', ČSSR) known from 1948 to 1960 as the Czechoslovak Republic (''Československá republika)'', Fourth Czecho ...
, regular victory day parades were held by the
Czechoslovak People's Army The Czechoslovak People's Army (, , ČSLA) was the armed forces of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1954 until 1989. From 1955 it was a member force of the Warsaw Pact. On 14 March 1990 ...
(ČSLA) in
Letná Letná is a hill overlooking Prague historic centre and Vltava River just besides Prague Castle. It neighbours Stromovka, the largest park in Prague. The hill belongs to Holešovice and Bubeneč quarters of Prague 7. The main part of Letn ...
. The first parade took place in 1951 and have since been held every five years on 9 May up until 1990. The parade also marked the
Prague uprising The Prague uprising () was a partially successful attempt by the Czech resistance movement to liberate the city of Prague from German occupation in May 1945, during the end of World War II. The preceding six years of occupation had fuelled an ...
. The last of these parades took place in 1985. ''
Kde domov můj "" (), known in English as "Where My Home Is", is the national anthem of the Czech Republic. It was composed by František Škroup and written by Josef Kajetán Tyl. History The piece was written as a part of the incidental music to the co ...
'' & ''
Nad Tatrou sa blýska "" (; ) is the national anthem of Slovakia. The origins of it are in the Central European activism of the 19th century. Its main themes are a storm over the Tatra mountains that symbolized danger to the Slovaks, and a desire for a resolution of ...
'' (the Czechoslovakian national anthem) was performed by the massed bands on parade before being followed by the ''
State Anthem of the Soviet Union The State Anthem of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was the national anthem of the Soviet Union and the regional anthem of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1944 to 1991, replacing "The Internationale". Its original ...
''. Parades were also held in
Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
and
Plzeň Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...
as well. Israel
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
has commemorated
Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
since it became a national holiday in 2017. As a result of the
mass immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short-t ...
of many Red Army veterans, Israel now hosts the largest and most extensive Victory Day celebrations outside the former Soviet space. The traditions and customs of Victory Day are the same as in Russia, with marches of Immortal Regiments held in cities with large populations of Red Army veterans and their descendants, particularly in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
,
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
and
Haifa Haifa ( ; , ; ) is the List of cities in Israel, third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropolitan area i ...
. It does not just honor all who served in the European and Mediterranean Theaters, but also particularly honors the Jewish partisans and soldiers who served in the armed forces and paramilitary formations, as well as of the civil uniformed security forces, of the Allies, whose experience would help in the formation of the current day
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
. Kazakhstan The first Victory Day Parade in
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
was held in 1995 in the then capital of
Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...
. Celebrating the
golden jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali language, ...
of the victory, it was held on Republic Square and was presided by the
Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
, Army General
Sagadat Nurmagambetov Sagadat Kozhakhmetovich Nurmagambetov (, ''Sağadat Qojahmetūly Nūrmağambetov''; ; 25 May 1924 – 24 September 2013) was a Soviet and Kazakh general who served as Chairman of Kazakhstan's State Defense Committee in 1991-1992 and Kazakhs ...
. Subsequent small-scale parades were held in 2000 and 2005. In 2015, a Victory Day/Defender of the Fatherland Day Parade was held on Independence Square in Nur-Sultan (then known as Astana) to celebrate the victory's
platinum jubilee A platinum jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary. Among Monarchy, monarchies, it usually refers to a 70th anniversary. The most recent monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the ...
. As a result, most Victory Day parades are held in connection with
Defender of the Fatherland Day Defender of the Fatherland Day ( ''Den' zashchitnika Otechestva''; ; ; ; ) is a holiday observed in Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. It is celebrated on 23 February, except in Kazakhstan, where it is celebra ...
holiday, which celebrates the founding of the
Kazakh Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan (, , ) are the unified armed forces of Kazakhstan. They consist of three branches ( Ground Forces, Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces) as well as four independent formations ( Air Assault Forces, Spec ...
. In the wake of the
Coronavirus Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the comm ...
outbreak In epidemiology, an outbreak is a sudden increase in occurrences of a disease when cases are in excess of normal expectancy for the location or season. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire ...
in March 2020, President
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev (born 17 May 1953) is a Kazakhstani politician and diplomat who has served as the second president of Kazakhstan since 2019. He previously served as Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 ...
ordered the cancellation of that year's parade due to the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
that affected the country. On 24 June of that year, the city of
Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...
held a mini Victory Parade. In
Aktau Aktau (; ) is a city in south-west Kazakhstan, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. Aktau is on the Mangyshlak Peninsula in the Mangystau Region. Known for its strategic location on the Caspian Sea, Aktau is a port, playing a key role in th ...
, the parade traditionally begins with the "Volley of Remembrance", fired near the Eternal Flame monument. Kyrgyzstan The only major Victory Day Parade in
Bishkek Bishkek, formerly known as Pishpek (until 1926), and then Frunze (1926–1991), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. Bishkek is situated near the Kazakhstan ...
occurred in 2015 on
Ala-Too Square Ala-Too Square is the central square in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. History The square was built in 1984 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic, at which time a massive List of statues of Lenin, statue of Lenin was p ...
. It was presided by Prime Minister
Temir Sariyev Temir Agrembaevich Sariyev (, ) (born 17 June 1963) is a Kyrgyz politician who was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 2015 to 2016. He was a presidential candidate for the 2009 elections, receiving 157,005 (6.74%) votes. Sariyev was a candidate ...
and Chief of General Staff
Asanbek Alymkozhoev Asanbek Tunguchpaevich Alymkozhoev ( Kyrgyz: Асанбек Тунгучпаевич Алымкожоев; born 11 April 1956) is the former Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic. He was also the commander of the National ...
in place of President
Almazbek Atambayev Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev (born 17 September 1956) is a Kyrgyzstani politician who served as the fourth president of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017. He previously served as the 11th prime minister of Kyrgyzstan from 2010 to 2011, and from ...
, who was attending the
2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade The 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade was a parade that took place in Red Square in Moscow on 9 May 2015 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945. The annual parade marks the Allies of World War II, Allied ...
. Russian troops from the
Kant Air Base Kant Air Base ( ''Aviabaza Kant'') is a military air base in Ysyk-Ata District of Chüy Region in Kyrgyzstan. It is located just south of Kant, around 20 km east of Bishkek and is home to the Russian Aerospace Forces' 999th Air Base. Histo ...
also took part in the parade. In 2020, a planned parade due to be held at the same venue to mark the war's 75th anniversary was cancelled. On normal occasions, a short victory parade led by the Commander of the Bishkek Garrison is held at Victory Square. Parades have also been held in
Osh Osh is a city in Kyrgyzstan. Osh or OSH may also refer to: * Osh (food), in Tajik and Uzbek cuisines * Osh (singer) (born 1995), English singer and rapper * OSH, the IATA code for Wittman Regional Airport near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States ...
, with notable attendees including First Deputy Prime Minister
Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev Mukhammetkalyi Düysheke uulu Abylgaziev (born 20 January 1968) is a Kyrgyz politician. He was the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from April 2016 to August 2017, Acting Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 22 to 26 August 2017, and Prime ...
. Moldova On 15 April 2020, Moldovan President
Igor Dodon Igor Dodon (; born 18 February 1975) is a Moldovan politician who served as the 5th president of Moldova from 2016 to 2020. He currently serves as the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova since 2024. He served as Ministry ...
ordered the postponement of the diamond jubilee Victory Day celebrations on 9 May, the main event of which was supposed to be the Victory Parade on
Great National Assembly Square Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" * Artel Great (bo ...
, to Liberation Day (24 August) due to the coronavirus pandemic in Moldova, marking also the 76th anniversary of the
Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of U ...
of 1944. It was expected also to mark the 29th anniversary of Moldovan independence, thus the parade was supposed to be a triple anniversary event and a prelude to the massive celebrations held in 2021 in honor of the country's 30th year of independence. The plans for the parade were cancelled in later July by order of the president due to the state mandated quarantine. Victory parades also took place in the Soviet era. Serbia and former Yugoslavia Victory Day Parades in
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
and the former
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
are held frequently, the first of which was held by the
Yugoslav People's Army The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA/; Macedonian language, Macedonian, Montenegrin language, Montenegrin and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian language, Croatian and ; , J ...
on Bulevar revolucije in 1965, during the 20th anniversary. After that parade, it was held every 5 years. The last victory parade in the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
was held on the
ruby jubilee A ruby jubilee marks a 40th anniversary. Ruby jubilees in recent history See also * Hierarchy of precious substances * List of longest-reigning monarchs * List of current reigning monarchs by length of reign * Wedding anniversary A wed ...
in 1985 (branded as ''Parade 85''). On 10 May 2019, the first Victory Day Parade of the
Serbian Armed Forces The Serbian Armed Forces () is the military of Serbia. The President of the Republic acts as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, while administration and defence policy is carried out by the Government through the Ministry of Defence. The h ...
in close to 35 years was held in the city of
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
(branded as "The Defence of Freedom"). Tajikistan Victory Day parades of the
201st Motor Rifle Division The Russian 201st Military Base (; ) is a List of Russian military bases abroad, Russian military base based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, part of the Central Military District. It was originally raised twice in World War II as part of the Soviet Un ...
in the
Tajik SSR The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, also commonly known as Soviet Tajikistan, the Tajik SSR, TaSSR, or simply Tajikistan, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union which existed from 1929 to 1991 in Central Asia. The Tajik Re ...
were held on Dousti Square in the capital of
Dushanbe Dushanbe is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Tajikistan. , Dushanbe had a population of 1,564,700, with this population being largely Tajiks, Tajik. Until 1929, the city was known in Russian as Dyushambe, and from 1929 to 1961 as St ...
in 1965 and 1985. Parades are also held annually in Victory Park. Turkmenistan In 2020, the 75th anniversary of the victory in the war was celebrated with a military parade and festive celebrations. This was the first ever Victory Parade to be held since Turkmen independence was attained. Soldiers of the
Armed Forces of Turkmenistan The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (), known informally as the Turkmen National Army () is the national military of Turkmenistan. It consists of the Turkmen Ground Forces, Ground Forces, the Turkmen Air Force, Air Force and Air Defense Forces, Tur ...
took part in the parade, which was held at a square in front of the
Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex is a memorial complex to the honour of those killed in the Battle of Geok Tepe in 1881, in World War II, and in the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake. It is in the southwestern part of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. History Cons ...
in the capital of
Ashgabat Ashgabat (Turkmen language, Turkmen: ''Aşgabat'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag, Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km (30  ...
, with a special appearance by Russian Deputy Minister of Defence
Alexander Fomin Alexander Vasilyevich Fomin ( born May 25, 1959) is a Russian Deputy Minister of Defence. Biography Alexander Fomin was born on May 25, 1959, in Leninogorsk. He attended the Military Institute of the Red Banner of the Ministry of Defence ( ...
. The parade featured a procession of various historical artifacts, including the banner of the 748th Infantry Regiment of the
206th Rifle Division The 206th Rifle Division was twice formed as an infantry division of the Red Army, first as part of the prewar buildup of forces. Its first formation in March 1941 was based on the last prewar ''shtat'' (table of organization and equipment) for rif ...
of the
2nd Ukrainian Front The 2nd Ukrainian Front () was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War. History On October 20, 1943, the Steppe Front was renamed the 2nd Ukrainian Front. In mid-May 1944 Malinovsky took over the 2nd Ukrainian Front. During t ...
(which was brought into the capital from Moscow) as well as the
GAZ-M20 Pobeda The GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" (; ''победа'' means ''victory'') is a passenger car produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ from 1946 until 1958. It was also licensed to the Poland, Polish Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych, Passenger Automobile Factory and pro ...
parade car and battle vehicles from that era. The parade was held in spite of the coronavirus pandemic in the country and was one of two parades being held that year in the former Soviet Union, with the other being in
Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
. Ukraine
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, as the second-largest former
Soviet republic A soviet republic (from ), also called council republic, is a republic in which the government is formed of soviets (workers' councils) and politics are based on soviet democracy. During the Revolutions of 1917–1923, various revolutionary ...
in terms of population, used to have some of the largest and most frequent victory parades. The first official proposal to celebrate Victory Day with a parade appeared at a meeting of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Ukraine The Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU or KPU) is a banned political party in Ukraine. It was founded in 1993 and claimed to be the successor to the Soviet-era Communist Party of Ukraine, which had been banned in 1991. In 2002 it held a "unifi ...
on 27 March 1945. The first military parade since the liberation of Kyiv was held on
International Workers' Day International Workers' Day, also called Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of Wage labour, labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every yea ...
(1 May), being dubbed in the local media as a "Victory Parade". The parade took place on Korolenko Street (now Vladimirska). During the latter half of the
Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as the Ukrainian SSR, UkrSSR, and also known as Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. ...
's existence, parades were held in 1965 and 1990, with the planned 1985 parade being cancelled. After independence in 1991, the first parade was held in 1995 to celebrate the golden jubilee of the Victory in Europe, and was held again in 2001,
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, and 2011 until the last formal parade took place in 2013. All of these were held along the area of
Maidan Nezalezhnosti Maidan Nezalezhnosti (, ) or Independence Square is the central town square of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. One of the city's main squares, it is located on Khreshchatyk Street in the Shevchenko Raion. The square contains the iconic Ind ...
with the mobile column stationed on Khreshchatyk Street. Parades have also been held on a regular basis in the cities of
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
,
Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.
, and
Lviv Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
, usually taking the form of a small march past nowadays rather than a full ceremony. From 2010 to 2013 Kharkiv's Freedom Square hosted an annual parade with the participation of the troops of the Kharkov Garrison, military academies located in Kharkiv and troops from
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. The planned parade was cancelled for the first time in 2014 by order of the
Kyiv City State Administration Kyiv City State Administration (, commonly abbreviated as KMDA ) is the national-level branch of the Government of Ukraine that administers Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The current Head of the Kyiv City State Administration is Vitali Klitschko; ...
in light of the start
Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...
and the holiday's Russian connotations. In 2023 9 May as a public holiday was canceled and henceforth the end of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in Ukraine is celebrated on the
Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939 – 1945 Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939 – 1945 () is a national holiday and non-working day in Ukraine established in 2023. Its first celebration was in 2024. The holiday is celebrated on 8 May and has replaced Victory ...
on 8 May. (For many now in Ukraine, May 9, since 2023 marked as Europe Day, is also the commemorative date of the first ever Ukrainian military parade in modern history, a historic joint
Polish Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (, ; abbreviated SZ RP), also called the Polish Armed Forces and popularly called in Poland (, roughly "the Polish Military"—abbreviated ''WP''), are the national Military, armed forces of the Poland, ...
and
Ukrainian People's Army The Ukrainian People's Army (), also known as the Ukrainian National Army (UNA) or by the derogatory term Petliurivtsi (, ), was the army of the Ukrainian People's Republic (1917–1921). They were often quickly reorganized units of the former I ...
parade held to mark the 1920 liberation of the capital during the Polish-Soviet War and the
Ukrainian War of Independence The Ukrainian War of Independence, also referred to as the Ukrainian–Soviet War in Ukraine, lasted from March 1917 to November 1921 and was part of the wider Russian Civil War. It saw the establishment and development of an independent Ukr ...
, the only parade of the
Ukrainian People's Republic The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) was a short-lived state in Eastern Europe. Prior to its proclamation, the Central Council of Ukraine was elected in March 1917 Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, as a result of the February Revolution, ...
during its short history.) Only in the separatist-controlled parts of
Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; ; ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin, and Stalino, is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine located on the Kalmius River in Donetsk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Russia as the capita ...
and
Luhansk Luhansk (, ; , ), also known as Lugansk (, ; , ), is a city in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. As of 2022, the population was estimated to be making Luhansk the Cities in Ukraine, 12th-largest city in Ukraine. Luhansk served as the administra ...
oblasts of the country, since 2015, do the people completely celebrate the traditional Victory Day parades with military vehicles and servicemen and women marching past the main squares of the two cities. Uzbekistan In 2018, a Victory Parade of the
Tashkent Military District The Tashkent Military District (, ), also known as the Tashkent Operational Command (, ) is a military district of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan based in the capital city of Tashkent. It serves the territory of the Tashkent Region ...
was held on its training ground in
Chirchik Chirchiq, also spelled as Chirchik, (; ) is a district-level city in Tashkent Region, Uzbekistan. It is about 32 km northeast of Tashkent, along the river Chirchiq. Chirchiq lies in the Chatkal Mountains. The population of Chirchiq as of 20 ...
on the occasion of
Day of Remembrance and Honour A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours (86,400 seconds). As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cycle drives ...
. Parades have also been held in
Samarkand Samarkand ( ; Uzbek language, Uzbek and Tajik language, Tajik: Самарқанд / Samarqand, ) is a city in southeastern Uzbekistan and among the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central As ...
.


Parades held in partly recognized states

Republic of Abkhazia Victory parades have been held in
Abkhazia Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a List of states with limited recognition, partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It cover ...
annually since 2009. This should not be confused with the Victory parade on 30 September in
Sukhumi Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the Capital city, capital and largest city of Abkhazia, a partially recognised state that most countries consider a part of Georgia (country), Georgia. The ...
on
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
. Republic of South Ossetia Like its neighbor Abkhazia,
South Ossetia South Ossetia, officially the Republic of South Ossetia or the State of Alania, is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus with International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, partial diplomatic recognition. It has an offici ...
has held annual Victory Day Parades in the capital of
Tskhinvali Tskhinvali ( ka, ცხინვალი ) or Tskhinval (, ; , ) is the capital of the disputed ''de facto'' independent Republic of South Ossetia, internationally considered part of Shida Kartli, Georgia (except by Russia and four other UN m ...
since 2009. All victory parades take place on Theatre Square and involve troops of the
Armed Forces of South Ossetia The Armed Forces of South Ossetia is the military of the partially recognised state of South Ossetia. It includes an Army and an Air Corps. The South Ossetian Army was formed in 1992, and is the primary defense force in the breakaway republic of ...
. In 2020, for the first time, the parade was held on 24 June in line with the Moscow parade, with President
Anatoly Bibilov Anatoly Ilyich Bibilov (; , ; born 6 February 1970) is a South Ossetian military officer, was the fourth president of South Ossetia. He succeeded Leonid Tibilov as president on 21 April 2017 to 24 May 2022, following his election victory, but ...
not being attendance due to commitments in
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, with the parade being presided instead by Prime Minister
Erik Pukhayev Erik Georgiyevich Pukhayev (Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the ...
. During the parade, an equestrian team from the Border Administration of the Russian
Federal Security Service The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation СБ, ФСБ России (FSB) is the principal security agency of Russia and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union's KGB; its immediate predecessor was the Federal Counterin ...
took part in the parade for the first time in history, with the equestrian ranks being led by an officer on a stallion called ''Brilliant'', a direct descendant of
Idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...
(one of two stallions used in the
Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 The 1945 Moscow Victory Parade (), also known as the Parade of Victors (), was a victory parade held by the Soviet Armed Forces (with the Color Guard Company representing the First Polish Army) after the defeat of Nazi Germany. This, the longest ...
), according to the local authorities. The parade also saw the introduction of female soldiers. Artsakh Republic The Victory Day (and
Shushi Liberation Day Shushi Liberation Day () is a national holiday celebrated in Armenia and formerly in the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. It is commemorated on both 8 and 9 May as a way to celebrate the anniversary of the Capture of Shushi and the Siege of St ...
) Parade is held on Renaissance Square in
Stepanakert Stepanakert officially Khankendi is a city in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. It was the capital city of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh prior to the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in ...
. It is only held on the jubilee anniversaries of the
capture of Shusha The capture of Shusha may refer to: * the Battle of Shusha (1992) * the Battle of Shusha (2020) The Battle of Shusha ( or ; ) was the final and decisive battle of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, fought between the armed forces of Azerbaijan ...
and the Siege of Stepanakert, both of which ended on Victory Day in 1992. The first parade in honor of the holiday was held in 1995 to celebrate the 3rd anniversary since liberation and the golden jubilee (50th anniversary) of the end of the Second World War. Subsequent parades were held in 1997, 2007, 2012 and 2017. Donetsk People's Republic To symbolize its Russian heritage, the authorities in the breakaway
Donetsk People's Republic The Donetsk People's Republic (DPR; , ) is Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, occupied territory in Ukraine that the Russian Federation has claimed to annex and declared as a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia, comprising parts o ...
held its first parade in 2015. The inaugural parade was held at Artem Street on Lenin Square and was criticized by the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the p ...
for violating the
Minsk Protocol The Minsk agreements were a series of international agreements which sought to end the Donbas war fought between armed Russian separatist groups and Armed Forces of Ukraine, with Russian regular forces playing a central part. After a defe ...
. It includes troops from the
United Armed Forces of Novorossiya Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, primarily the People's Militias of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), were pro-Russian paramilitaries in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. They were under the o ...
. Luhansk People's Republic The
Luhansk People's Republic The Luhansk People's Republic (LPR; , ) is a disputed territory administered as a republic of Russia in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, with its capital in Luhansk. The LPR was proclaimed by Russian-backed paramilitar ...
has conducted parades in honor of Victory Day since 2015.


Parades held in unrecognized states

Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Victory Day parades in the
Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Transnistria, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and locally as Pridnestrovie, is a landlocked breakaway state internationally recognized as part of Moldova. It controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dni ...
are held on Suvorov Square in Tiraspol. It is the first of two parades to be held every year, being held by the Armed Forces of Transnistria in conjunction with the Operational Group of Russian Forces. In addition to parades on jubilee years (2005, 2010 and 2015), it is also held annually. The parade was cancelled for the first time in 2020 and rescheduled to Republic Day of Transnistria, Republic Day on 2 September, marking the celebrations of the republic's pearl jubilee year.


Expanded summary of the parades within current and former countries


Victors Avenue, Minsk

The parade commander (the Deputy Defense Minister bearing the rank of Major General) arrives on Victors Avenue to receive the report from the commander of the first parade formation (usually the Military Academy of Belarus). The President of Belarus then arrives at the grandstand in front of the Minsk Hero City Obelisk to await the start of the parade. The parade commander gives the order to begin the review of the Minsk Garrison by the Defence Minister of Belarus, the parade presenting arms at that juncture and the massed bands of the Minsk Garrison under the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus beginning to play inspection music under the baton of the Senior Director of Music. The Defense Minister, having now been duly notified, then reviews the parading troops along the avenue in his vehicle, stopping a few times to send holiday greetings to a 4,000 strong ground column formation from the armed forces and other uniformed organizations while the massed bands play inspection music. As the defense minister concludes the inspection of the troops, he reports to the president on the readiness of the parade. A minute of silence then takes place, followed by a performance of the National Anthem of Belarus (My Belarusy) by the massed bands. The president then delivers an address to the nation and congratulates the citizens on the holiday. As the president concludes the address, following a fanfare by the bands the parade commander then gives the order for the Minsk Garrison to get into their parade formations, and for the troops of the Honour Guard Company to take their post as linemen to mark the distance of the troops marching past the grandstand. The first unit to march, beating the snare drums, are the drummers of the Minsk Suvorov Military School, followed by cadets of special military high schools of the armed forces and public security organizations, and a colour guard consisting of the flag party (Flag of Belarus, Flag of the USSR, and Banner of Victory) the standards of the fronts which were involved in the 1944 Minsk Offensive, followed by historical companies, honoring both the regular Red Army and the Soviet Air Force that liberated the republic and the partisan movement that grew during the Nazi occupation. They consists of cadets of the Military Academy of Belarus dressed in military uniforms of the historical period of the war and equipped Mosin rifles. This is followed by the rest of the parade ground column in the following arrangement as they march past the presidential grandstand: * Military Academy of Belarus * Belarusian National Technical University * :ru:120-я гвардейская стрелковая дивизия, 120th Guards Separate Mechanized Brigade * 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade * 5th Spetsnaz Brigade, 5th Special Operations Brigade * Battalion of women servicemen of the Armed Forces * Cadets of the Internal Troops College of the Military Academy of Belarus * Internal Troops of Belarus, Interior Ministry Troops * Special Purpose Militsiya (Belarus), Police of Belarus * Company of women policemen of the Belarusian Police * Border Guard Service Institute of Belarus, State Border Committee Training Institute * Ministry of Emergency Situations (Belarus), Emergencies Ministry National University of Civil Defense * Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces * Honor Guard of the Armed Forces of Belarus The mobile column then follows, led up by a historical segment composed of military vehicles and equipment used during the days of the 1944 Minsk Offensive, followed on by the usual flypast by the Belarusian Air Force opened by a Mi-8 helicopter.


Khreshchatyk Street, Kyiv

In the years wherein the
Victory Day over Nazism in World War II Victory Day over Nazism in World War II () was a national holiday and a non-working day in Ukraine from 2015 to 2023. The holiday was first celebrated on 9 May 2015 and followed the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on 8 May (which paid ...
(from 2015 until 2023) parade was held in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the parade commander - a lieutenant general holding the appointment of Commanding General, Operational Command North or general holding the billet of Commander of the Ground Forces, following the report of the commandant, Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defense University of Ukraine (usually a major general), inspects the formations assembled on Khreshchatyk Street, first the Kyiv Presidential Honor Guard Battalion (Separate Presidential Brigade, Presidential Brigade), the parade tri-service colour guard and then the remainder of the parade's ground and mobile columns. At 10am, following the playing of a recording of clock chimes, and as the massed bands of the Military Music Department of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stationed at Independence Square played a fanfare, the President, who serves as supreme commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, arrives. He meets with members of the National Security and Defense Council, the Supreme Commander in Chief's Staff, representatives of the Armed Forces General Staff and the Ministries of Defense and Internal Affairs, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and its vice chairmen, the secretary general, sergeant at arms, faction leaders and floor leaders, and the living veterans of the war who are assembled on the grandstand near the Independence Monument. Also gathered there is the diplomatic corps, military attaches, family members of war victims and representatives of veterans organizations, government agencies, state-owned companies and the private sector. The arrival is followed by the march in of No.1 Guard of Honor Company of the Presidential Honor Guard Battalion, which serves as the parade colour company carrying the Flag of Ukraine and the Victory Banner. As the parade presented arms, the battalion marches past the authorities and takes its place of honor in the flag pole near the Independence Monument for the flag raising ceremony after the company's color section takes post there, in which the National anthem of Ukraine is played either acapella or by the bands with choral accompaniment as a 21-gun salute is fired. At the end of the flag raising, the parade orders arms and a moment of silence is observed in honor of all the victims of the Second World War in Ukraine and the Ukrainian heroes of that conflict. Following this the parade presents arms to receive the parade reviewing officer, either the Minister of Defense or Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces (if the former is military, usually holding general or general of the army rank). The parade commander's vehicle drives near the bands and once the reviewing officer arrives and the bands stop playing, he informs him of the readiness of the parade to be inspected. The report is received, both then drive past the formations assembled around Khreshchatyk Street as the massed bands play slow marches, stopping to greet each of the parade battalions assembled. The tri-service colour guard, a second guard of honor company and a battalion of servicemen both under the Presidential Brigade is inspected first, then the historical battalions, followed by battalions of cadets and active servicemen and women and then the mobile column. After all have inspected, the parade commander returns to his place and the parade reviewing officer arrives at the Maidan to inform the president of the parade's readiness to march off.


Victory Park, Dushanbe

According to tradition, a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier takes place at Victory Park. Full order of the parade: * Military Brass Band of the Commandant Regiment of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan * Presidential National Guard * Units of the Commandant Regiment of the Ministry of Defence (Tajikistan)#Commandant Regiment, Ministry of Defense * Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan * Mastibek Tashmukhamedov Military Lyceum of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan *
Russian 201st Military Base The Russian 201st Military Base (; ) is a Russian military base based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, part of the Central Military District. It was originally raised twice in World War II as part of the Soviet Union's Red Army and is now part of the ...
* Ministry of Defence (Tajikistan)#Honour Guard Company, Honor Guard Company of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan


Letná Plain, Prague

It was on the large expanse of Prague's
Letná Letná is a hill overlooking Prague historic centre and Vltava River just besides Prague Castle. It neighbours Stromovka, the largest park in Prague. The hill belongs to Holešovice and Bubeneč quarters of Prague 7. The main part of Letn ...
Plain (Letenská pláň), a large employ field that every 5 years on 9 May from 1951 to 1985 (formerly yearly until the 1960s) witnessed parades of the
Czechoslovak People's Army The Czechoslovak People's Army (, , ČSLA) was the armed forces of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1954 until 1989. From 1955 it was a member force of the Warsaw Pact. On 14 March 1990 ...
in the federal capital of Czechoslovakia following a mix of the Soviet style and its own traditions in its grounds, celebrating both the victory in Europe and the conclusion of the successful Prague Uprising. A televised event since the 1950s, the President of Czechoslovakia, in his capacity as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (unless held by a separate person) and Supreme Commander in Chief of the People's Army, was the chief guest of honor of the parade. On the morning of the day, an estimated 9,000 military personnel, assembled by battalions on the square together with the Prague Garrison Massed Bands of around 400-800 bandsmen under the direction of the Senior Director of Music (formerly stationed in different parts of the grounds in the 1950s) were present, with the stands in Milada Horaková street filled up with together with veterans, veterans' families and the general public. At the main grandstand attached to Stadion Letná, Letná Stadium were members of the Party Central Committee, the Cabinet, the Federal Assembly (Czechoslovakia), Federal Assembly leadership and the chairmen of its two chambers, senior officers of the Ministry of National Defence and the General Staff, representatives of Soviet Armed Forces formations based in the republic and the diplomatic corps. The celebrations began at 10 am with the playing of the Presidential Fanfare, based on the Overture of the opera Libuše (opera), Libuše, signalling the arrival of the president and if present, the Party General Secretary, with the Minister of National Defence, a billet of a General of the Army, informing the President of the presence of the parade. Later on, with the massed bands playing the ''Uvitaci Pochod'' by Václav Dobiáš, the parade commander, a general officer with either Lieutenant General or Colonel General rank, with the parade now in the present arms position as ordered, after the bands stop playing, informed the Minister of National Defence on his parade car after that the parade has now been formed up for inspection. Following the report, the parade inspector then reviewed the mobile column first and then the assembled formations, including representatives of the People's Militias (Czechoslovakia), People's Militias and the formations of the Ministry of the Interior, including the Border Guard and the Sbor národní bezpečnosti, National Security Corps, stopping at each unit to greet the assembled formations on the holiday. Following the keynote address a 21-gun salute resounded over the grounds as the massed bands played both ''Kde domov můj'' and ''State Anthem of the Soviet Union'' as the entire grandstand stood up in respect of the anthems, with all military and police personnel there saluting and the whole parade presented arms.


Kazakh Eli Square, Astana

The traditional Victory Parade in the capital is held with the march on of the Flag of Kazakhstan and the Banner of Victory, before the President of Kazakhstan receives the report from the Defence Minister of Kazakhstan on the readiness of the parade. The minister and the president will then inspect the forces on parade, who will yell in a traditional greeting to their Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Once both officials arrive at the tribute, the present formally greets the troops before delivering a holiday address. Upon concluding the speech, the massed bands perform ''Meniŋ Qazaqstanym'' before the parade commander (the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces (Kazakhstan), Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces) sounds the orders to begin the parade. The parade is traditionally led by cadets of the Astana Zhas Ulan Republican School. They are then followed by contingents from the three services of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan (Kazakh Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Kazakh Air Defense Forces, Air Defense Forces and the Kazakh Naval Forces, Naval Forces), the State Security Service of Kazakhstan, State Security Service, the National Guard of Kazakhstan, National Guard, and the Territorial Troops (Kazakhstan), Territorial Troops, among other ground and air equipment.


See also

*Minuta Molchanya *Pobediteli *Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War *Immortal Regiment *Culture of the Russian Armed Forces


External links


Official website of the 2019 Moscow parade

360° panoramas
of the parade in QuickTime VR technology


References

{{reflist


Videos


Parade in honor of the 50th anniversary in Almaty

History of Military Parades On Red Square Documentary

1965–2020: как проходил Парад Победы во Владивостоке

Parade in Gyumri, Armenia

Тренировки девушек из роты почетного караула к параду 9 Мая в Екатеринбурге
Victory parades Annual events in Moscow Events in Kyiv Events in Minsk Military parades in Russia Military parades in Ukraine Military parades in Belarus Annual events in Kazakhstan Annual events in Israel Military traditions