'Immortal Regiment' March in Paris Indicates 'Strong French-Russian Friendship'

PARIS (Sputnik) — Holding of the "Immortal Regiment" march in commemoration of the Second World War soldiers in France is the demonstration of the strong French-Russian ties, Russia' Ambassador to France Alexander Orlov told Sputnik Monday.

"The 'Immortal Regiment' in our environment, in France is as well the demonstration of the strong French-Russian friendship," Orlov said.

He added that this year the Paris parade gathered several hundred people, which is more than in 2016.

"[The march] is a major celebration for us. It is a feeling of the solidarity with the motherland and the major events which are taking place at home," Orlov stressed.

WWII Victory Day is celebrated in France on May 8. The "Immortal Regiment" parade took place in Paris earlier in the day. The march participants were guarded by police for security reasons. The ambassador was participating in Paris' "Immortal Regiment" parade accompanied by his spouse and children, all of them holding the portraits of their relatives who had participated in World War II.

The "Immortal Regiment" is a patriotic initiative that commemorates victory over Nazism in WWII in marches held across Russia and other countries. In 2016, over 2 million people in 42 countries participated in the "Immortal Regiment" marches globally, according to media reports.