World leaders celebrate victory over fascism in Moscow

By Progreso Weekly Last updated May 11, 2015

Saturday, May 9 – In 27 Russian cities parades took place today commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people over German Nazism. The biggest of all was held in Moscow’s Red Square involving 16,000 soldiers, 200 units of military hardware and 143 Air Force airplanes and helicopters, according to the website Sputnik.

The parade in Red Square brought together heads of state, heads of governments and leaders, including Presidents Raul Castro of Cuba; Xi Jinping, China; Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela; and other representatives of India, South Africa, countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe and Asia.

Kicking off the celebrations, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech in which he congratulated the military and the Soviet people for the victory over Nazi-fascism.

(Photo at top of Presidents Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, and Raúl Castro. Click on photos below for captions and slide presentation. Photos from Rossiiskaya Gazeta and the Xinhua News Agency.)

World leaders delivering flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on May 9. They are, in front row from left: President Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela) and wife, Cilia Flores; Nursultan Nazarbayev (Kazakhstan); Vladimir Putin (Russia); Xi Jinping (China) and wife, Peng Liyuan. Seen in second row, behind Nazarbayev and Putin, is Raúl Castro (Cuba).

President Putin delivers opening address at Red Square.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reviewing the troops.

Members of the Guard of Honor of the Chinese Liberation Army (PLA).

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70 YEARS SINCE VICTORY OVER NAZI GERMANY

Russia Today

At 2:10 a.m. Moscow time on May 9, 1945, the sonorous, measured voice of radio announcer Yuri Levitan declared: “Germany has been entirely vanquished.” The final treaty had been signed in Berlin. At first, figures tentatively emerged into the balmy Moscow morning, some in pajamas, others in suits. By evening, Red Square was heaving – people dancing, kissing and laughing, fireworks flashing above. However, the festivities did not obscure the costs: In the Soviet Union, at least 27 million people had been killed (out of a total of 55 million fatalities in WWII), while many cities, towns and villages lay in ruins. After the iconic parade in June, there were no celebratory marches for two decades. Yet the Great Patriotic War, which started for the Soviets in 1941, united the entire nation and remains a centerpiece of Russia’s consciousness.