Russian Federation Celebrates 65th Anniversary With a Victory Parade

On the 9th May 1945, the guns fell silent as the war in Europe came to an end. The Western Allies and the Soviet forces had crushed the German army and each year, Russia marks the event with a victory parade on the iconic Red Square.

2010 is the 65th anniversary and this year's celebration in Moscow will be a bit extraordinary. Presentations launched a few days earlier when twenty-two British veterans from the Arctic convoys were given medals by the Russian envoy to the Britain, Yury Fedotov. The veterans had helped transport provisions to the northern Russian cities of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. In total, nearly 1,400 ships help keep the Soviet Union supplied. These supplies were vital to the Soviets.

As part of the Victory Parade, there will be a fly past of roughly 130 airplanes and helicopters from many different periods of history. Over time, Red Square has witnessed countless parades exhibiting the strength of the Soviet forces but this year, the parade will have a more global feel about it.

Soldiers of the Welsh Regiment from the British Army, US 18th Infantry Regiment, pilots from the French Normandie-Nieman squadron and an honour guard from the Polish army will all parade with army units from Russia and other CIS nations.

As well as the Victory Parade in Moscow, there will also be events in other cities too. In Ukraine, 75 Russian paratroopers will march through Kiev as the country celebrates the conclusion of World War II which was also widely known as the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union. The Russian unit was asked to participate by the Ukraine government, an offer their government were only to happy to accept.

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