Moscow - Russia on Saturday staged a huge military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in a conspicuous show of military might amid a standoff with the West over Ukraine.
In what is seen as punishment for the Kremlin's meddling in Ukraine, Western countries led by Russia's World War II allies are boycotting the May 9 festivities, leaving Vladimir Putin to mark the day in the company of the leaders of China, Cuba and Venezuela.
Around 16,000 troops were taking take part in the parade on Red Square that would also showcase cutting edge weapons such as the next-generation Armata T-14 tank, in one of the biggest Victory Day celebrations in decades.
The Soviet Union lost an estimated 27 million soldiers and civilians in WWII -- more than any other country -- and the Red Army's triumph remains an enormous source of national pride.
Victory Day unites Russians from all walks of life irrespective of political sympathies and huge crowds were expected to flood into central Moscow.
But the Kremlin parade was being overshadowed by the Ukraine crisis, with the West slapping sanctions on Moscow over Russia's seizure of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
United States President Barack Obama has snubbed the festivities, as have the leaders of Russia's other key WWII allies Britain and France.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ducked out of attending the parade but will fly to Moscow on Sunday to lay a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Soldier and meet Putin.
The most high-profile guests on the podium next to Putin wiltnl be Chinese leader Xi Jinping, United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon, and India's President Pranab Mukherjee.
Other presidents attending were Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, Raul Castro of Cuba, Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Jacob Zuma of South Africa.
The 70th anniversary celebrations stand in contrast to the festivities a decade ago, when Putin hosted the leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
AFP
