Night-time rehearsal for Moscow Victory Day parade

The parade is traditionally held on May 9 but because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed this year to June 24 the day the Soviet Union held its first victory parade on Red Square in 1945. This year's observance, the 75th anniversary, had been expected to be especially large, but the parade and a mass procession called The Immortal Regiment were postponed to curb the spread of the virus.

Moscow: Russia has been in full-swing preparation mode for a military parade to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the allied victory over the Nazis in World War II scheduled for later this month.

On Saturday night, dozens of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and ballistic missile launchers chugged through the Russian capital in time for several rehearsals of the parade, scheduled for June 24.

On Sunday, soldiers marched through central Moscow streets and rehearsed manoeuvres on Red Square where the parade will be held.

The parade is traditionally held on May 9 but because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed this year to June 24 the day the Soviet Union held its first victory parade on Red Square in 1945.

Victory Day is Russia's most important secular holiday and attracts millions of attendees.

This year's observance, the 75th anniversary, had been expected to be especially large, but the parade and a mass procession called The Immortal Regiment were postponed as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Russian authorities have eased coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks after claiming a drop in new cases.

As of Sunday, the country has recorded 5,28,964 cases of the virus, the third-highest total in the world after the United States and Brazil.

(With inputs from AP)