The country celebrated Victory Day. This is one of the most important and brightest Russian holidays, this goes for several generations of Russian nationals. Because the War that the country won 72 years ago defined the fate of the whole country and its people, as well as the fate of Europe and the entire European civilization. The holiday fireworks are just a couple of hours away.
The Immortal Regiment marched through Moscow a few hours ago. People carried the portraits of their loved ones, who fought in the Great Patriotic War, who made their contributions to victory over fascism. These events occurred not only all over Russia, but around the world. This year over 60 countries joined in. Moscow hit an absolute record in the number of participants, which was 850,000 people. Military parades were held throughout the country this morning, from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad, from St. Petersburg to Crimea. The main one was, of course, held on the Red Square, in the Capital.
10,000 officers marched over the cobblestone. Then the war vehicles followed — the new T-14 Armata tanks, RS-24 Yars and 9K720 Iskander ballistic missiles, S-400 missile system, and everything else the Army is proud of. This was the first time armored vehicles, created just for the Arctic, appeared on the Red Square. Even the weather, that didn't allow for the aerial part of the program, didn't spoil the impression. Denis Davydov is reporting on how it all looked in life. This footage was taken before the transmission began. The parade is minutes away. Ranks are lined up perfectly. Everything must be perfect, the main heroes of the day are watching, the Unbroken Generation of Victors. This is Radio Moscow. Watch and listen to the Red Square. The speaker's traditional words, but even without them every person here knows, on May 9th, with Moscow Clock Tower's bells, all the hearts start beating simultaneously.
Under the National Flag of the Russian Federation, and under the Victory Banner, a-ten-hut! Soldiers of the Preobrazhensky Regiment are carrying out the National Flag and the Victory Banner, the symbols of this Great Day. It took them months of practice to hold their arms straight even in the strongest wind. The Minister of Defense enters the Square in absolute silence. No service cap, because there's a trademark icon over the Spassky Gates, and since the dawn of time, soldiers passed through with their heads uncovered. We salute you on the 72nd anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Hooray! The Army General greets every squad.
The car circles the Square and their readiness is reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Like many others, who cherish May 9th, Vladimir Putin is wearing the St. George Ribbon on his chest. The war took millions of lives. This horrible tragedy couldn't be prevented mainly due to the connivance of the criminal ideology of the race advantage, and due to a lack of unity between the leading countries of the world. This allowed the Nazis to play God with other nations' fates. This let them start the most brutal bloodbath of a war. It allowed them to enslave, to enthrall almost all of the European countries. Nazis brought some of their hardest strikes onto the USSR. But no. There's never been, nor will there ever be a force that can take our people down. They stood to their deaths, defending their lands. They did the seemingly impossible, they turned back the bloody wheel of the WWII.
The most violent War of all times took lives of more than 20,000,000 Soviet people. The Russian leader reminded who the humanity must be eternally grateful for saving the world from the fascist plague. We'll never forget that Europe's freedom and the long-awaited peace on Earth were regained by our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. With utmost bravery and incredible patience, they went through the terrifying experience of the WWII. They worked in factories and hospitals with no sleep or rest. They burned in tanks, they froze in trenches, they drowned in rivers. They covered their front comrades with their bodies. They went into battle, knowing it might be their last. They died, never finding out about the Victory. But they did everything they could for it. Today we bow our heads to the cherished memory of those, who did not return from the War. We mourn the veterans that have already left us. I call for a minute of silence.
The Red Square tribunes accommodate 5,000 people. Sadly, every year there are less of the main heroes there. Veterans bring their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to the parade. So they can remember. We feel severe kinship to the generation of heroes and winners. You will never be ashamed of us. Russian soldier today, just like in all times, with bravery and heroism, is ready for any act of valor. They'll sacrifice everything for their country, for their people. We'll always cherish Russia, like you did. Soldiers of the Victory, previous war lessons teach us to remain vigilant. Russia's armed forces can fight back any potential threats.
Today, the life itself requires us to increase our defense potential. But to effectively fight terrorism, extremism, Neo-Nazism, and other threats we need the consolidation of the entire international community. We are open to such cooperation. Russia will always be on the side of peace. We join those who choose the path of equal partnership. Those, who deny war as something controversial to the human existence. Dear friends, as the Great War's events move further behind in history, we grow more responsible for the future of the next generations. We must pass on the stability and the world peace to them. We must pass on the harsh, heroic truth of the Great Patriotic War. We must pass on the essence of the Great Victory. Long live the Victorious People! Congratulations to you on this Victory Day! Hooray! Hooray! The squads need to march 300 paces through the Red Square. It doesn't seem like much, but it's incredibly hard to have 10,000 people march simultaneously. They'd been training since February.
For each junction, the orchestra plays its own march. The majority of the subdivisions are nobly called the Guards. These are legendary divisions with battle history. Here are the troopers of the 331st Kostroma Parachute Infantry Regiment. During the War, this regiment participated in liberating the people of Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia. Veterans greet their own troops with special feelings. When their own are marching by, they cannot remain seated. I served in the Navy and I always greet my own. The longest gazes were caught by the parade's grace, an all-female military squad. These girls are future translators, financial advisors and logistic specialists.
An orchestra of 1,000 trumpets leaves and here comes the sound of tracks and the roar of engines. Grigoriy Shishkin will always remember this sound. He freed the Baltic countries aboard the T-34. The lieutenant was seriously injured and only the armor saved him from death. I'm not a Hero of the USSR or of Russia, but I'm no coward either, I was a tankee. I was in the 118th tank brigade. When I see the T-34 tank, it's like a piece of me. My whole life was in it. The whole War? The whole War. Armata is the tank of the future. The crew is in a protected armored pod. There are no analogues in the world. It was first presented to the public at the parade, 2 years ago. They are now in full-scale production. Capabilities of the S-400 System make it the best in the world among air defense systems.
Tribunes stand still when the giants pass by, the Yars Ballistic Missiles, the country's nuclear shield. The audience saw 114 examples of brand-new military vehicles. For the first time, there are vehicles with cold north paint jobs at the parade. Like polar bears, Tor-M2E and Pantsir-S2 Arctic AA systems move along the Red Square. They serve beyond the Polar Circle. These vehicles are not afraid of bad roads, water obstacles and, essentially, extremely low temperatures. These Russian Arctic defenders were created especially for the North. They operate even at -50C. They joked at the Square — the weather's just right for the cold-proof vehicles.
On this Holiday morning in Moscow it was only +2C with snow. Soldiers took off their warm coats only minutes before the peal of bells. As usual, in the second part of the parade, the audience started to look up in the sky. But there were no planes or helicopters over the Red Square that day. Ministry of Defense had ordered to cancel the flights due to the weather. You didn't see your planes. Sure, but the vehicles... the strongest, most powerful equipment of our Army. Traditionally, people from other countries come to see our parade.
Children of those who fought alongside of our soldiers are on the tribunes. I came here out of respect for my father's memory, who also fought in this War. He used to say that if it weren't for Russians, we'd never win. The sacred words "Moscow is behind us" We remember since the time of Borodino. In the evening they'll drink their Victory 100 grams, for their fellow soldiers, for the Victory. Today, we cannot even imagine the scary implication of the touching lines about the holiday with tears in their eyes, how the souls of these young girls and boys weeped on May 9th, 1945. I was happy the War was over. I was sad at the same time, that the War... took so much... it took my, I lost it in the battle... I'm a little embarrassed to say it, my leg. I was hit in the head, hit in the arm. People gave them best wishes and flowers, to the Unbroken Ones. People wouldn't let them go after the parade, asked for pictures, to tell about their heroism. They sent the heroes off, bowing to the ground. Thank you for the Victory.
