Jets fly in 70 shape over Moscowpublished at 09:38 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersMiG-29 and Su-25 military jets form a 70 shape over Moscow
Summary
Russia stages its biggest-ever military parade on Red Square in Moscow
16,500 troops are taking part, with 194 armoured vehicles and 143 aircraft
Western leaders are avoiding the event in protest at Russia's involvement in Ukraine conflict
Patriotic mood grips Russia on 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany
Foreign troops in parade include Chinese, Indian and Serbian units
Jets fly in 70 shape over Moscowpublished at 09:38 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersImage caption, Chinese soldiers march in Red Squarepublished at 09:34 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersAerobatic display over Red Squarepublished at 09:31 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
The BBC's Pavel Aksenov in Moscow writes:
The two most famous Russian military aerobatic groups flew in one formation - The Russian Knights and The Swifts.
They flew military fighter jets - the heavy Su-27 and light MiG-29, instead of training jets. They said the combat planes are currently in front-line service.
Postpublished at 09:28 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, @BruceHoultBruce Hoult tweets, external: First choppers
Infantry fighting vehicles in drive-pastpublished at 09:22 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersDonetsk parade not far from front linepublished at 09:18 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, Will Vernon, BBCImage caption, Veterans in Donetsk: BBC's Will Vernon says this parade is in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine
Rebel tanks in Donetsk parade, eastern Ukrainepublished at 09:13 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, Will Vernon, BBCPostpublished at 09:07 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Rada Nikulina in Leeds, UK emails: It is a great parade to commemorate the sacrifice our grandfathers made for us. My grandmother was in Saint Petersburg during the blockade, when people were dying of starvation, when there were bodies in the streets anywhere you look. So HOW DARE someone like Cameron or Obama, who are yet to deserve at least a bit of respect, show such disrespect to our veterans. Without our veterans all Europe would be wiped out.
Postpublished at 09:05 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Tony in Siberia emails: I am watching the parade in Moscow on TV (having already watched the local parade here in Tyumen) and you cannot doubt the unwavering patriotism of the Russian people of ALL ages, a lesson we could learn in Britain.
I think that Britain should have sent a high profile representative to the parade to show we are at least respectful toward our former ally. It just seems petulant and petty not to. We should have been mature enough and clear with Russia that attending would have been about honouring the anniversary and separate from the problems in Ukraine.
Indian Army troops march in Moscowpublished at 09:02 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersMillions died on the Russian frontpublished at 09:00 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
In Russia the fight against Nazi Germany is called "The Great Patriotic War". The bloody conflict took an estimated 26 million Soviet lives in 1941-1945.
On 22 June 1941 Nazi German troops invaded the Soviet Union, despite a 1939 non-aggression pact.
In the winter of 1942-43 the German advance was blocked at Stalingrad, southern Russia. About two million soldiers and civilians died in the long battle. After that, Soviet forces went on the offensive.
Postpublished at 09:00 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
С Днем Победы and its English equivalent #VictoryDay are the two top Twitter trends in Russia right now.
Postpublished at 08:56 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
@VictorPlazas362, external tweets: A stunning demonstration of tribute for those that carried the greatest weight in defeating Nazi Germany
The spectacle on Red Squarepublished at 08:56 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersPostpublished at 08:55 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Andrej Sviridov in Shepperton, England emails: The 9 of May is the most important day in our history. The day of freedom and victory! At the moment I am watching it online. The parade is our remembrance to fallen heroes.
Postpublished at 08:54 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Bogdan emails: I stay in Moscow, but I won't see the "parade of cynicism"; Putin's parade.
Postpublished at 08:54 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
@sandesh_samant, external tweets: Yaaay!!! Indian soldiers in #VictoryDay Parade with the Indian flag.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu salutes soldierspublished at 08:51 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, ReutersPostpublished at 08:48 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Ashish in India emails: Let's not forget the Russians/Soviets were the ones who suffered most heavy losses in the WW2 and they were the major force to stop the Hitler juggernaut. Even the Western world can't take away this fact, and if they are living in an environment of peace & liberty Russians are the ones to whom they should be most thankful to. By boycotting the parade they are showing their narrow political interests and disrespecting the innumerable sacrifices for the cause of enduring freedom.
Banners from storming of Berlinpublished at 08:46 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
The BBC's Pavel Aksenov in Moscow writes:
Among the banners at the start were standards of the Soviet fronts and two of them - 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian - were the ones at the storming of Berlin.
The commanders of those groups of armies were Ivan Konev and Georgy Zhukov. There was allegedly a kind of competition between the two marshals - both were keen to take Berlin first. This wasn't proved, but it was Zhukov's soldiers who reached the centre of the German capital first.