This year’s parade began in the customary way with a speech delivered by President Vladimir Putin, where he raised important topics of Russia’s strong spiritual connection to the past and how it shapes the country’s present.
The event involved the various branches of Russia’s Armed Forces, as well as powerful military equipment and a highly anticipated flyover.
A range of top-notch Russian missile systems were presented at the parade:
The Iskander-M, Russia's top-of-the-line mobile short-range ballistic missile system, is a prominent feature of the parade. These 3.4-ton vehicles are equipped with two tactical, nuclear-capable single-stage solid fuel missiles that have a range of 50-500 km.
The S-400 Triumph, Russia’s state-of-the-art air and missile defense system, can destroy aerial and ballistic targets at distances of up to 400 km.
The RS-24 Yars mobile ICBM complex is capable of carrying missiles 17.8 meters long and weighing 46 tons. These missiles can hit targets up to 12,000 km away with with multiple MIRVed warheads of up to 500 kilotons each.
The parade customarily opens with a T-34, the renowned Soviet tank that played a crucial role in defeating the Wehrmacht and the Axis allies during WW2. Weighing 31 tons, this tank is manned by a crew of five crew and boasts sloped armor, an 85mm gun and two 7.62mm DT machine guns.
Check out Sputnik’s video of the fascinating event!