Alexander Ustinov, who was a photojournalist and a war correspondent during the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany in 1941-1945, wrote:
"On the night of 9 May 1945, the citizens of Moscow did not sleep. At 2:00 a.m. the radio announced that an important announcement will be made. At 2:10 a.m. Yuri Levitan read the German Instrument of Surrender and the Decree of the USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium on declaring May 9 the Day of a national holiday – the Holiday of Victory. People ran out of their houses onto the streets… and congratulated each other on the long-awaited victory. Banners appeared. More and more people were gathering, they moved towards Red Square. A spontaneous demonstration began. Joyful faces, songs, dances to the accompaniment of an accordion. In the evening a salute was fired: thirty salvos from thousands of guns in honour of the Great Victory."
Check out Sputnik's photo gallery to feel the happiness of the Soviet people during Victory Day celebrations 75 years ago.