Русия: Парада за деня на Победата приближава Червения площад в Москва

Russia's main Victory Day parade came to a close on Moscow's Red Square on Saturday, commemorating the 70th anniversary of Soviet victory in the 'Great Patriotic War'. The Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower chimed at exactly 10.00MSK (07.00GMT) and an officer gave the order to the Guard of Honour to proceed across Red Square bearing the Banner of Victory. They filed past Russian President Vladimir Putin and the other dignitaries positioned on a podium over the Lenin Mausoleum. Next it was the turn of Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu to be driven onto Red Square to inspect and congratulate the troops on the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. The first part of the parade was concluded with the playing of Russia's National anthem. More than 16,000 troops were gathered on Red Square representing 11 countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India, Mongolia, China, Serbia and of course Russia. The Victory Banner is an exact replica of one of the flags raised over the Reichstag on April 30 1945 by Red Army troops symbolically representing the end of the war. The inscription reads: 150th Rifle, Order of Kutuzov 2nd class, Idritsa Division, 79th Rifle Corps, 3rd Shock Army, 1st Byelorussian Front.