105-581: Victory Day parades (Russian: Парад Победы , romanized : Parad Pobedy ) are common military parades that are held on 9 May in some post-Soviet nations , primarily Russia , Kazakhstan , Belarus , and formerly Ukraine . They are usually held to honor the traditional Victory Day holiday. In 2015, the Ukrainian government renamed the holiday as " Victory Day over Nazism in World War II " as part of decommunization laws and in 2023 moved
210-459: A central government news agency. The TASS acronym was, by this point, well-recognized around the world and so was retained after being redefined as the Telegraph agency of communication and messages (Russian: Телеграфное агентство связи и сообщения , romanized : Telegrafnoye agentstvo svazi i soobshcheniya ). The agency as a whole was referred to as "ITAR-TASS". In September 2014,
315-528: A distinctive character with a number of similar elements: ceremonial meetings, speeches, lectures, receptions and fireworks. In Russia during the 1990s, the 9 May holiday was not celebrated with large Soviet-style mass demonstrations due to the policies of successive Russian governments. Following Vladimir Putin 's rise to power, the Russian government began promoting the prestige of the governing regime and history, and national holidays and commemorations became
420-783: A final German Instrument of Surrender, which was also signed by Marshal Georgy Zhukov , on behalf of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army , and Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder , on behalf of the Allied Expeditionary Force, in the presence of General Carl Spaatz and General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny , as witnesses. The surrender was signed in the Soviet Army headquarters in Berlin-Karlshorst . Both English and Russian versions of
525-742: A fixed date. After the liturgy , a memorial service for the fallen soldiers is served in all churches and monasteries of the Orthodox Church. The annual commemoration on Victory Day "of the soldiers who for faith, the Fatherland and the people laid down their lives and all those who died in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945" was established by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1994. On
630-663: A flypast over Gyrumi and Yerevan for the first time in honor of the platinum jubilee. Because the 2020 celebrations in honor of the holiday and Shushi Liberation Day were cancelled by order of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan due to the COVID-19 pandemic , a fly past of the Armenian Air Force was held at the Mother Armenia monument. Belarus Victory parades in Belarus have dated back to Soviet parades in
735-588: 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 , 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 , GAZ-67 and the SU-100 plus the optional BM-13N (or at around an estimated 480 when counting other vehicles of
840-613: A non-working day only in the Ukrainian SSR in 1963 and the Russian SFSR in 1965. In the Russian SFSR, a weekday off (usually a Monday) was given if 9 May fell on a Saturday or Sunday. The celebration of Victory Day continued during subsequent years. The war became a topic of great importance in cinema, literature, history lessons at school, the mass media, and the arts. The ritual of the celebration gradually obtained
945-670: A non-working holiday). The holiday was similarly celebrated there while the country was part of the Soviet Union. Most other countries in Europe observe Victory in Europe Day (often abbreviated to VE Day, or V-E Day) on 8 May, and Europe Day on 9 May as national remembrance or victory days. The German Instrument of Surrender was signed twice. An initial document was signed in Reims on 7 May 1945 by Alfred Jodl (chief of staff of
1050-630: A parade of young people, cadets of military lyceums, young athletes took place on Bishkek's Ala-Too Square , attended by President Almazbek Atambayev and Prime Minister Temir Sariev . The Immortal Regiment ( Russian : Бессмертный полк; Bessmertniy Polk ) is a massive civil event staged in major cities in Russia and around the world every 9 May. Since it was introduced in 2012, it has been conducted in cities such as Moscow , Washington D.C. , Dushanbe , Berlin , and Yekaterinburg . Participants carry pictures of relatives or family members who served during
1155-502: A result of the mass immigration 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 , Jerusalem and Haifa . It does not just honor all who served in
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#17327833824101260-479: A smaller collection known as "Red Tass". These collections were made available only to Soviet journalistic and political leaders, and to top journalists and political leaders, respectively. In 1961, Ria Novosti was created to supplement TASS, mainly in foreign reporting and human-interest stories. After 1971, TASS was elevated to the status of State Committee at the Government of the Soviet Union . The agency
1365-407: A source of national self-esteem. Victory Day in Russia has become a celebration in which popular culture plays a central role. The 60th and 70th anniversaries of Victory Day in Russia (2005 and 2015) became the largest popular holidays since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1995, as the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, many world leaders converged on Moscow to attend
1470-706: A special grandstand in front of Lenin's Mausoleum , 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
1575-702: A vector for Soviet active measures . In January 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , a Presidential Decree signed by Boris Yeltsin re-defined the status of TASS and renamed it the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia . In May 1994, the Russian Government adopted a resolution " On approval of the Charter of the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia ", under which it operates as
1680-520: 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 Enterprise , owned by the government of Russia . Headquartered in Moscow, it has 70 offices in Russia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), "along with 56 global branches in 53 countries". In
1785-478: Is crushed by the combined force of our valiant troops and the troops of our allies. The dark forces of fascism were not able to resist the light and power of Christ, and God's omnipotence appeared over the imaginary power of man. Every 26 April ( Old Style , O.S.; 9 May, New Style or N.S.), the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates the dead, being the only special remembrance day for the dead with
1890-623: 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 , 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
1995-499: Is headquartered in a building in the Soviet brutalist style built in 1977. In November 2021, an association of Russian architects criticized plans by Moscow city authorities to renovate the building without due regard for the preservation of its historic appearance. TASS has been cited as a source of disinformation as part of Russian influence operations . As of March 2022, examples of propagation of disinformation in relation to
2100-429: The COVID-19 pandemic . Russophone populations in many countries celebrate the holiday regardless of its local status, organize public gatherings and even parades on this day. Some multilanguage broadcasting television networks translate the "Victory speech" of the Russian president and the parade on Red Square for telecasts for viewers all over the globe, making the parade one of the world's most watched events of
2205-660: The Prague uprising . The last of these parades took place in 1985. Kde domov můj & Nad Tatrou sa blýska (the Czechoslovakian national anthem) was performed by the massed bands on parade before being followed by the State Anthem of the Soviet Union . Parades were also held in Bratislava and Plzeň as well. Israel Israel has commemorated Victory Day since it became a national holiday in 2017. As
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#17327833824102310-1039: The Russian 102nd Military Base , the Leninakan Border Detachment of the Federal Security Service of Russia , and military personnel of the Armed Forces of Armenia . The first one took place in 2014, after having not been held since 1993. Officials in attendance are the Governor of the Shirak Region , the Mayor of Gyumri, and the Bishop of the Diocese of Shirak . In 2015, pilots of the Russian airbase in Armenia participated in
2415-674: The Russian Armed Forces . 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 (an appointment bestowed to either a colonel or
2520-607: The Serbian Armed Forces in close to 35 years was held in the city of Niš (branded as "The Defence of Freedom"). Tajikistan Victory Day (9 May) Victory Day is a holiday that commemorates the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945. It was first inaugurated in the 15 republics of the Soviet Union following the signing of the German Instrument of Surrender late in
2625-690: The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (Телеграфное агентство Советского Союза, Telegrafnoye agentstvo Sovetskogo Soyuza, TASS) was established by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet , and took over the duties of the ROSTA as the country's central information agency. TASS enjoyed "exclusive right to gather and distribute information outside the Soviet Union, as well as the right to distribute foreign and domestic information within
2730-573: The Western Military District of Russia announced that an air show would be held at Kubinka air base in Victory Day. On Victory Day, many books on topics such as the war such as Panfilov's Twenty-Eight Guardsmen are published. On the eve of the diamond jubilee, President Vladimir Putin, at the request of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz , gave a live address broadcast Austrian TV channel ORF . The Victory Banner refers to
2835-476: The fall of the Soviet Union , they quickly fell out of style in Europe and soon became a practice among post-Soviet nations , many of which have large Russian populations. In 1995, Russia, Kazakhstan , Belarus , and Ukraine held parades for the first time since 1991. In Belarus on non-jubilee years, a procession is held from October Square , which ends with the laying of wreaths on Victory Square . In 2015,
2940-448: The first parade , under Leonid Brezhnev , the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet 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 and 1990 . Until 1989 celebrations of Victory Day were held in most Warsaw Pact countries (save for East Germany , whose celebrations fell on 8 May except in 1975, when it
3045-862: The remembrance poppy which is associated with the Remembrance Day commemorations in the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth . On 5 May 2014, the Belarusian Republican Youth Union encouraged activists not to use the ribbon due to the situation in Ukraine. In time for Victory Day 2015, the ribbon's colors were replaced there by the red, green and white from the Flag of Belarus . TASS The Russian News Agency TASS , or simply TASS ,
3150-680: The 65th anniversary in 2010, French troops took part in a parade in Murmansk while American sailors paraded in Vladivostok . This occurred once again in 2013 in Vladivostok during which American Pacific Fleet troops and sailors from the French Navy 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
3255-585: 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
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3360-766: The Escort Cavalry Squadron of the Kremlin Regiment 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. As per tradition, 27 other Russian major cities ( Sevastopol and Kerch in
3465-620: 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 . Kazakhstan The first Victory Day Parade in Kazakhstan was held in 1995 in
3570-670: The German OKW ) for Germany, Walter Bedell Smith , on behalf of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force , and Ivan Susloparov , on behalf of the Soviet High Command , in the presence of French Major-General François Sevez as the official witness. Since the Soviet High Command had not agreed to the text of the surrender, and because Susloparov, a relatively low-ranking officer,
3675-413: 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 of the Kremlin sounds the chimes at 10 am
3780-449: The Second World War. The front line of the procession carries a banner with the words Bessmertniy Polk written on it. Up to 12 million Russians have participated in the march nationwide in recent years. Since 2015, the President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian officials have participated in the procession in Moscow. It has come under criticism by those who charge that participants are carrying photographs and discarding them after
3885-795: The Soviet Union, and manage the news agencies of the Soviet republics". Official state information was delivered as the TASS Report (Russian: Сообщение ТАСС , Soobshchyeniye TASS ). TASS included affiliated news agencies in all 14 (in 1940–56, 15) Soviet republics in addition to Russia: RATAU ( Ukrainian SSR , now Ukrinform ), BelTA ( Byelorussian SSR ), ETA ( Estonian SSR ), Latinform ( Latvian SSR , now LETA ), ELTA ( Lithuanian SSR ), ATEM ( Moldavian SSR , now Moldpres ), Armenpress ( Armenian SSR ), Gruzinform ( Georgian SSR ), Azerinform ( Azerbaijan SSR , now AZERTAC ), UzTAG ( Uzbek SSR , now UzA ), KazTAG ( Kazakh SSR , now Kazinform ), KyrTAG ( Kyrgyz SSR , now Kabar ), Turkmeninform ( Turkmen SSR , now TDH ) and TajikTA ( Tajik SSR , now Khovar ). Over
3990-438: 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 and a veterans ceremony on Red Square ). The most important parade of those being held on May 9 is the one held on Moscow's Red Square , with the President of Russia as the guest of honor and keynote speaker in virtue of his constitutional mandate as Supreme Commander of
4095-432: The Soviet military banner raised by the Soviet soldiers on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 1 May 1945. Made during the Battle of Berlin by soldiers who created it while under battlefield conditions, it has historically been the official symbol of the Victory of the Soviet people against Nazi Germany. Being the 5th banner to be created, it was the only army flag that was prepared to be raised in Berlin to survive
4200-578: The Soviet period, it was named the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union ( Телеграфное агентство Советского Союза , Telegrafnoye agentstvo Sovetskogo Soyuza ) and was the central agency of the Soviet government for news collection and distribution for all Soviet newspapers, radio and television stations. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union , it was renamed Information Telegraph Agency of Russia (ITAR-TASS) ( Информационное телеграфное агентство России (ИТАР-ТАСС) , informatsionnoye telegrafnoye agentstvo Rossii (ITAR-TASS) ) in 1992, but reverted to
4305-453: The Supreme Command of Allied Forces. Moreover, I disagree that the surrender was not signed in Berlin, which was the center of Nazi aggression. We agreed with the Allies to consider the Reims protocol as preliminary. A second surrender ceremony was organized in a surviving manor in the outskirts of Berlin late on 8 May, when it was already 9 May in Moscow due to the difference in time zones. Field-Marshal Wilhelm Keitel , chief of OKW, signed
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4410-400: The Victory, observed by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov at the Kelyata Training Center of the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan in the Bäherden District of the Ahal Region . In 2016, Moldovan Defence Minister Anatol Șalaru attended a display of vehicles from the Moldovan National Army and the United States Army in the central park of Chișinău . In April 2020, an official in
4515-417: The Western Allies only, and fighting continued in the East, especially in Prague . [Quoting Stalin:] Today, in Reims, Germans signed the preliminary act on an unconditional surrender. The main contribution, however, was done by Soviet people and not by the Allies, therefore the capitulation must be signed in front of the Supreme Command of all countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, and not only in front of
4620-561: The agency reverted to its former name as the Russian News Agency TASS . TASS is registered as a Federal State Unitary Enterprise , owned by the Government of Russia . Headquartered in Moscow, TASS has 70 offices in Russia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as 68 bureaus around the world. TASS multi-media press center is a communication floor in the heart of Moscow. Every year it hosts some 300 events featuring high-ranking Russian officials, foreign heads of state, leaders of main political parties, representatives of
4725-421: The anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany 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 , at midnight of May 9, 1945 ( Soviet time ), officially concluding the Second World War in Europe and northern parts of Africa. During
4830-451: The battle. The Cyrillic inscription on the banner reads: " 150th Rifle , Order of Kutuzov 2nd class, Idritsa Division, 79th Rifle Corps , 3rd Shock Army , 1st Belorussian Front ", representing the unit that soldiers who raised the banner were from. On 9 May, a specially made replica of the Victory Banner is carried by a color guard of the 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment through Red Square . The Victory Banner
4935-418: The city of Almaty held a mini Victory Parade. In Aktau , the parade traditionally begins with the "Volley of Remembrance", fired near the Eternal Flame monument. Kyrgyzstan The only major Victory Day Parade in Bishkek occurred in 2015 on Ala-Too Square . It was presided by Prime Minister Temir Sariyev and Chief of General Staff Asanbek Alymkozhoev in place of President Almazbek Atambayev , who
5040-406: The city of Khabarovsk is the main one in the Eastern Military District . In 2019, the American M4 Sherman medium tank, one of the many Lend-Lease Sherman tanks 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
5145-418: The city stadium in Simferopol. Since the 90s, the most grandiose parades, were held in Sevastopol, a Hero City . For a number of years, a joint parade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the Ukrainian Navy took place in the city, featuring both Ukrainian and Russian parade commanders and inspectors. Since the 2014 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation , parades have been solely held by Russia, with
5250-401: The city's first state sponsored ceremonies since the end of the Soviet Union. In 2015 around 30 leaders, including those of China and India, attended the 2015 celebration, while Western leaders boycotted the ceremonies because of the Russian military intervention in Ukraine . The 2020 edition of the parade , marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, was postponed due to
5355-435: 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 , in memory of their contingent which marched past on that very parade, and
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#17327833824105460-420: 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 , one of
5565-411: 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 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 ) under the auspices of President Boris Yeltsin , who held the parade to commemorate the golden jubilee of
5670-470: The difference in Central European and Moscow time zones, the end of war is celebrated on 9 May in the Soviet Union and most post-Soviet countries. To commemorate the victory in the war, the ceremonial Moscow Victory Parade was held in the Soviet capital on 24 June 1945. During the Soviet Union's existence, 9 May was celebrated throughout it and in the Eastern Bloc . Though the holiday was introduced in many Soviet republics between 1946 and 1950, it became
5775-413: 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 as a "celebration for people, not show of militarism" referring to accusations of the parade being used as show of Russian military might. Today, Russia , as the largest of
5880-483: The disputed Crimea 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: Like Moscow, regional parades in recent years have included foreign troops in their parades. On
5985-423: The early 21st century, it became an awareness ribbon to commemorate the veterans of the war, being recognized as a patriotic symbol. In countries such as Ukraine and the Baltic states , it has been associated recently with Russophilia and Russian irredentism . It has become especially associated with Russian support for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . In Ukraine the government chose to replace it with
6090-404: The entire history of the Soviet Union , 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 under Josef Stalin , 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
6195-434: The eve of the 65th anniversary in 2010, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow gave his blessing for all the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church to perform a "prayer service in memory of the deliverance of our people from a terrible, mortal enemy, from a danger that our Fatherland has not known in all history". The patriarch composed a special prayer for this rite, taking as a basis the prayer of Philaret Drozdov , written in honor of
6300-426: The evening on 8 May 1945 (9 May Moscow Time ). The Soviet government announced the victory early on 9 May after the signing ceremony in Berlin . Although the official inauguration occurred in 1945, the holiday became a non-labor day only in 1965. In East Germany , 8 May was observed as Liberation Day from 1950 to 1966, and was celebrated again on the 40th anniversary in 1985. In 1967, a Soviet-style "Victory Day"
6405-405: The event. Members of government usually take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at their national war memorial, usually dedicated to the specific war victory. Wreaths are often laid at memorials such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Moscow) , the Monument to the Unknown Sailor ( Odesa ), and the Monument to Hazi Aslanov ( Baku ). Although Latvia does not officially recognize 9 May, most of
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#17327833824106510-416: The final greeting, the Massed Bands strike up to Slavsya from A Life for the Tsar 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 of the Moscow Military Music College , an affiliate of the Suvorov Military Schools, take their place behind the parade commander's car led by
6615-530: 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 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
6720-408: 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 . The following bases in foreign countries hold military parades: During the annual parade at Khmeimim Air Base in Syria , a unit from the Syrian Arab Armed Forces usually participates in
6825-431: The former Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic . They are usually held on jubilee years (e.g. 50th anniversary, 65th anniversary). Czechoslovakia During the period of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic , regular victory day parades were held by the Czechoslovak People's Army (ČSLA) in Letná . 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
6930-399: The former Yugoslavia are held frequently, the first of which was held by the Yugoslav People's Army 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 was held on the ruby jubilee in 1985 (branded as Parade 85 ). On 10 May 2019, the first Victory Day Parade of
7035-546: The former Soviet Union, military victory parades have also been held in Serbia , Poland and the Czech Republic . The first victory day parade on Red Square took place with the participation of the Red Army and a small detachment from the First Polish Army on 24 June 1945. After a 20-year hiatus, the parade was held again and became a regular tradition among Eastern Bloc countries and Soviet allies. Countries that had this tradition included Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia , both of which had their last parades in 1985. After
7140-404: The history other affiliates existed, e.g. KarelfinTAG for the short-lived Karelo-Finnish SSR (1940–56). In addition to producing reports for general consumption, TASS produced packages of content for non-public use. Western news reports and potentially embarrassing domestic news would be compiled daily into a collection known as "White Tass", and particularly sensitive news would be compiled into
7245-414: The holiday to (renamed Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939 – 1945 ) 8 May. As Victory Day is the principal military holiday of Russia and of almost all member the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States , 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
7350-513: The instrument of surrender signed in Berlin were considered authentic texts. The revised Berlin text of the instrument of surrender differed from the preliminary text signed in Reims in explicitly stipulating the complete disarmament of all German military forces , handing over their weapons to local Allied military commanders. Both the Reims and Berlin instruments of surrender stipulated that forces under German control to cease active operations at 23:01 hours CET on 8 May 1945. However, due to
7455-437: The large Russian community informally celebrates the holiday, with trips to the Victory Memorial to Soviet Army being common in Riga , with some diplomats ( ambassadors of Russia , Kazakhstan, and Belarus) as well as some politicians ( Nils Ušakovs , Alfrēds Rubiks ) also taking part. On 20 April 2023 the Latvian Parliament passed a bill to ban all public celebrations on May 9, the only exception being Europe Day. The law
7560-702: 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 and Turkmenistan . The main parade in Russia, as well as parades in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . In response to these massive cancellations, World Health Organization regional director for Europe Hans Kluge referred to these cancellations as "a brave decision", highlighting their holiday significance. According to Russian anthropologist Sergey Ushakin, modern victory parades are intended to demonstrate
7665-468: 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 in the Imperial-styled military uniforms and some unarmed half-companies of
7770-644: 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,
7875-583: The main supplier of journalists. As the demand for non-business news began during the first battles of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, the agency changed its name to the St. Petersburg Telegraph Agency (SPTA). As there was no change of headquarters and almost no change in its staff and function, it was a mere rebranding. In August 1914, one day after St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd, SPTA
7980-487: The merger/creation of the Volga–Ural Military District caused large-scale parades in the region to be moved to Samara. In 2005, Yekaterinburg was one of three cities in Russia (along with Moscow and Krasnoyarsk ), 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
8085-599: 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 to
8190-426: The mounted inspection of the original 1945 parade, which included cavalry, tachankas and horse artillery 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
8295-495: 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 being played by the Massed Bands, marches into the square and past the dignitaries with guard carrying both the Flag of Russia and the Victory Banner . As the colour guards approach the grandstand, the colour officers execute eyes left and resume above face after passing by. This
8400-520: The parade for the first time. Palace Square, St. Petersburg The first Victory parade in the city was the Parade of Guards ( Russian : Парад гвардейских войск ) 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 , all of which marched on Nevsky Prospect . On 9 May 1965,
8505-598: The parade in St. Petersburg and Omsk . In 2020, it was confirmed that foreign servicemen from the armed forces of Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will take part in the parade in Yekaterinburg , as well an 80-man contingent from Armenia in Rostov-on-Don , plans which were later scrapped. In Ulan-Ude in 2021, a contingent of the Mongolian Armed Forces took part in
8610-606: The parade organizers. Kazan Kremlin The principal parade of Tatarstan , beginning 2012, has been held on the grounds of Kazan Millenium Square, outside the Kazan Kremlin , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and at the front of Kazan Arena. Crimea Parades held in the Russian Republic of Crimea are spread across three cities: Sevastopol , Simferopol and Kerch . The first large-scale procession took place in 1960 at
8715-456: 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 nationhood. 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 and
8820-591: The parade. Lenin Square, Novorossiysk The 2021 parade in Novosibirsk was the first ever regional parade since 1990 that featured the Strategic Missile Forces ' RS-24 Yars 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
8925-782: The parade. In 2004, during a victory parade in the Chechen city of Grozny , a bomb exploded , killing 10 people including the Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov . Armenia Annual victory day parades in Armenia are held in Gyumri 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
9030-631: 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 , to Liberation Day (24 August) due to the coronavirus pandemic in Moldova , marking also the 76th anniversary of national liberation in the Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive of 1944. It was expected also to mark the 29th anniversary of Moldovan independence, thus
9135-417: 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 that is heard all over the grounds. After
9240-517: The simpler TASS name in 2014. Currently, on a daily basis TASS is "publishing nearly 3,000 news items in six languages and about 700 photographs and videos from correspondents in Russia and across the world". The origin of TASS dates back to December 1902 when it began operations as the Commercial Telegraph Agency (TTA, Torgovo-Telegrafnoe Agentstvo) under the Ministry of Finance, with Torgovo-Promyshlennaya Gazeta's staff being
9345-478: The square by the entire parade assembled and the honor guard presents arms, the Massed Bands play the National Anthem of Russia and a ceremonial battery armed with the 76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3) 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: As
9450-590: The then capital of Almaty . Celebrating the golden jubilee of the victory, it was held on Republic Square and was presided by the Minister of Defence , Army General Sagadat Nurmagambetov . 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
9555-821: The victory of the Imperial Russian Army over the French Grande Armee during the Napoleonic Wars . The completion of the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces was timed to Victory Day in 2020. Traditions such as the Victory Relay Race are held on jubilee anniversaries. In 2013, Turkmenistan conducted live-fire military exercises "Galkan-2013" (Shield-2013) dedicated to the 68th anniversary of
9660-677: The victory's platinum jubilee . As a result, most Victory Day parades are held in connection with Defender of the Fatherland Day holiday, which celebrates the founding of the Kazakh Armed Forces . In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak in March 2020, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the cancellation of that year's parade due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that affected the country. On 24 June of that year,
9765-495: 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
9870-400: The world of arts and culture, scientists and sporting personalities as well as managers of Russian and foreign business enterprises. TASS press centers also operate in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk. TASS is a media partner of high-profile conferences, forums and exhibitions in Russia and abroad. The agency organized the first News Agencies World Congress (NAWC) in 2004. TASS
9975-608: The year. RT also broadcasts the parade featuring live commentary, and also airs yet another highlight of the day – the Minute of Silence at 6:55 pm MST, a tradition dating back to 1965. Because of massive losses among both military and civilians during World War II , Victory Day is one of the most important and emotional dates in Russia. Victory Day Parades are military parades that are held on 9 May, particularly in various post-soviet nations such as Russia , Kazakhstan , Belarus , and until 2015, Ukraine . Outside of
10080-784: Was attending the 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade . Russian troops from the Kant Air Base 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 , with notable attendees including First Deputy Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev . Moldova On 15 April 2020, Moldovan President Igor Dodon ordered
10185-694: Was brought to Kyiv from Moscow in October 2004 to take part in the parade in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Ukraine . In 2015, the banner was brought to Astana to participate in the Defender of the Fatherland Day parade on 7 May. The Ribbon of Saint George is a military symbol that dates back to the era of the Russian Empire . It consists of a black and orange bicolour pattern, with three black and two orange stripes. In
10290-630: Was celebrated on 8 May. Since 2002, the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has observed a commemoration day known as the Day of Liberation from National Socialism , and the End of the Second World War . The Russian Federation has officially recognized 9 May since its formation in 1991 and considers it a non-working holiday even if it falls on a weekend (in which case any following Monday will be
10395-664: Was frequently used as a front organization by the Soviet intelligence agencies, such as the NKVD (later KGB ) and Main Intelligence Directorate , with TASS employees serving as informants abroad. In 1959, Alexander Alexeyev was dispatched to Cuba on a fact-finding mission, ostensibly working for TASS. Former Georgetown University professor James David Atkinson stated that TASS was an "effective propaganda medium" but that it concentrated "more heavily on espionage than on other activities." TASS frequently served as
10500-464: Was marked on 9 May). Of all the countries that observed it, only Czechoslovakia held celebration parades every 5 years, also in honor of the successful Prague Uprising that ended on that day in 1945. In addition, Poland and Yugoslavia (which was outside the Iron Curtain ) also held occasional parades, with the former staging a massive parade in 1985 to mark the ruby jubilee anniversary and
10605-608: Was meant to stop the "glorification of warfare and to stem the propagandist distortions of World War II history often implicit in Victory Day celebrations." In the Easter message of 1945, the Patriarch Alexy I of Moscow wrote: The Easter joy of the Resurrection of Christ is now combined with the bright hope of an imminent victory of truth and light over the untruth and darkness of German fascism, which before our eyes
10710-509: Was not authorized to sign this document, the Soviet Union requested that a second, revised, instrument of surrender be signed in Berlin. Joseph Stalin declared that the Soviet Union considered the Reims surrender a preliminary document, and Dwight D. Eisenhower immediately agreed with that. Another argument was that some German troops considered the Reims instrument of surrender as a surrender to
10815-485: 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
10920-931: Was renamed the Petrograd Telegraph Agency (PTA). It was seized by the Bolsheviks in November 1917 and by December was renamed as the Central Information Agency of the Soviet Russian Council of People's Commissars . On 7 September 1918, the presidium renamed PTA and the Press bureau into the Russian Telegraph Agency ( ROSTA ), which became "the central information agency of the whole Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic". In July 1925,
11025-465: 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 (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
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