Watch: Russia marks Victory Day, emboldened by Ukraine war gains
- On May 9, Russia celebrates its 1945 victory over Nazi Germany with a show of military might in Moscow
- Vladimir Putin buoyed by Russian advances in Ukraine and a fresh six-year mandate in office after elections
Russia on Thursday marks the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, as relations with the West spiral deeper into crisis over the advance of Russian troops against Ukraine’s Western-backed forces.
President Vladimir Putin, who rose to power just eight years after the Soviet Union broke up, spoke at the Victory Day parade on Red Square in Moscow.
Parades take place in major cities across Russia’s 11 timezones.
The Moscow parade traditionally features columns of Russian military equipment, including advanced missiles and air defence systems, as well as thousands of military personnel dressed in ceremonial attire.
Unlike some of the parades of the past, there will be no leaders from the West. Russia said ambassadors of “unfriendly” countries - broadly the West and those who support Ukraine - had not been invited to the parade.