Today, the central commemorative event of Victory Day celebrations in Russia is the military parade. The main parade traditionally takes place on Red Square in Moscow, with additional military parades being held simultaneously in numerous other cities across the Russian Federation.
Historically, the first Victory Parade took place on Red Square one and a half months after the end of the war in Europe – on June 24, 1945. It became a significant symbol of the combat power and strength of the Soviet Army. The parade consisted of columns of soldiers from combined regiments representing all fronts of the Great Patriotic War, from the Arctic to the Balkans. The fallen flags of Nazi Germany were symbolically thrown to the basement of Lenin’s Mausoleum. The memory of this parade still retains important historical and ideological significance in modern Russia.
Later on, during Soviet times, military parades on Red Square on May 9 were held only three times, in the anniversary years of the end of the war: in 1965, in 1985, and in 1990. The main military parade of the Soviet Union traditionally took place on another day – November 7, the day of the Great October Socialist Revolution.
May 9 was first declared a non-working holiday by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in 1945. However, this status was revoked in 1947 when it became a regular working day again. The holiday’s significance was restored only in 1965 under Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. During non-anniversary years when no military parade was held, May 9 observances typically included veterans’ gatherings, memorial ceremonies, and an evening fireworks display in Moscow and other major Soviet cities to honor the Victory.
The tradition of the military parade on May 9 was revived in post-Soviet Russia on another anniversary date in 1995. Since then, according to federal law, the parade has been held annually. The only exception was in 2020, due to the COVID pandemic. That year, the parade was postponed from May 9, but was held later, and also on a memorable day – June 24 – the day of the first Victory Parade in 1945.
At present, the military parade on May 9 is also acquiring an important international significance for modern Russia. This is connected, firstly, with the theme of international solidarity in memory of the joint struggle of the countries of the anti-Hitler and anti-Japanese coalition during the Second World War. Secondly, the Russian leadership attaches great importance to combating the falsifications of history, the politicization of historical memory, and the desire of a number of Western countries to belittle and denigrate the role of the Soviet Army in World War II.
Cooperation between Russia and China is of key importance in this policy of international solidarity. Within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership of our countries, mutually respectful attitude to the historical memory of World War II and recognition of the merits and military feats of soldiers of Russia and China acquires special significance. Our countries’ leaders regularly attend parades in Moscow on 9 May and in Beijing on September 3.
According to reports, senior Chinese officials will attend the parade now, which serves both as a commemoration of the shared history of the Second World War and a gesture of support for the post-war international order. Amid today’s complex and shifting global landscape, peace and development remain the shared aspirations of all nations.
This commemorative event reflects the participating countries’ commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. It also could amplify the voice of unity and resilience across the Non-Western world in this new era. Solidarity between China and Russia is a key factor for this.
The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004. It is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place.
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