Russian defense ministry says over 130,000 people to take part in Victory Day events

MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. More than 130,000 people, including over 90,000 military servicemen, have been making preparations for military parades and other events scheduled to be held on May 9, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. "More than 90,000 military servicemen and over 40,000 representatives of security agencies, cadet military schools, the Yunarmiya (or Young Army) military patriotic movement, as well as veterans of the Great Patriotic War, will participate in the events planned to mark the 72nd anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945," the statement reads. Military parades and exhibitions will involve more than 2,000 units of military hardware, 118 aircraft and nine warships. Military parades will take place in 28 cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, Volgograd, Vladivostok, Murmansk and Kaliningrad to name a few. "Parades will start at 10:00 local time. At 22:00, fireworks will be staged," the statement adds. "Festive events will take place in another 347 cities where the Russian Armed Forces units are deployed, as well as in the cities that enjoy the City of Military Glory title," the Russian Defense Ministry said. Read more