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Russia has turned 75 since the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II despite canceling its traditional military parade due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In a moderate celebration, President Vladimir Putin deposited roses at the Eternal Flame War Memorial.
Unable to attend public processions, people uploaded photos of family members and told war stories online.
On Saturday, Russia recorded another 10,000-case increase in coronavirus.
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Reuters
Normally large crowds gather for Victory Day celebrations in Russia and in the former Soviet countries – this was Moscow last year
The great commemorations are important features of the calendars of the former Soviet countries, which together lost about 26 million people in World War II.
Fighter jets flew over Moscow, leaving a trail of Russian flag colors, and a column of soldiers marched alongside President Putin on the Kremlin walls.
State television broadcast a replay of last year’s Red Square parade.
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EPA
Victory Day parades continued in Minsk, Belarus
But in Belarus, where President Alexander Lukashenko has denied that the coronavirus is a national threat, crowds of thousands attended the Victory Day events.
Lukashenko attended a parade in Minsk in a military uniform and said it was unacceptable for the country to think about canceling the event.
Last month, President Putin canceled the grand Victory Day parade featuring columns of soldiers, veterans, historic Red Army vehicles, and modern military equipment parading through Moscow’s Red Square.
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EPA
Unable to attend the processions, people shared photos of family members online or at home
Putin said on Saturday that Russia “will certainly celebrate this anniversary in an extensive and solemn way, as usual,” promising that the processions will take place at a later date.
Parts of Russia have been blocked since the end of March, but the country now has the fifth highest infection rate in the world with almost 200,000 confirmed cases.
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EPA
President Vladimir Putin placed a wreath on the Eternal Flame war memorial in Moscow
An increase of 10,000 cases has been reported daily in the past week.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Putin said: “Our veterans fought for life, against death. And we will always be equal to their unity and resistance.”
“We know and firmly believe that we are invincible when we are together.”
