Preparation for Russia's extravagant annual victory day parade have been held in Moscow's Red Square on Friday ahead of the 76th anniversary of Nazi Germany's surrender and the end of the Second World War.
The huge celebration is held every year on May 9, a day after Western Europe celebrates VE Day on May 8 due to the time difference between Russia and other Soviet Bloc countries, and Central European Time.
Thousands of glamorous soldiers have been pictured during a dress rehearsal for Sunday's event, which will see the military demonstrate its might in Moscow's Red Square in front of the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin.
Along with the troops, hundreds of various military vehicles and other deadly weaponry has also been seen rolling through or flying over the famous square, found in the heart of Russia's capital.
Victory Day in Russia is a national holiday, closing most public offices, schools and businesses, and due to other more Pro-Russian countries broadcasting the Russian president's victory day speech, the event is one of the world's most watched occasions of the year.
Along with the troops, hundreds of various military vehicles and other deadly weaponry has also been seen rolling through or flying over the famous square, found in the heart of Russia's capital.
Victory Day in Russia is a national holiday, closing most public offices, schools and businesses, and due to other more Pro-Russian countries broadcasting the Russian president's victory day speech, the event is one of the world's most watched occasions of the year.
Similar celebrations were seen across Russia in major cities on Friday, with a rehearsal also taking place in St. Petersburg, some 620 miles north-west of Moscow.
Last year however, the event was postponed until later in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic, despite it being the significant 75th anniversary of the Nazi surrender in 1945, at 23:01 Central European Time.
For Moscow, which is on Moscow Standard Time, the end to the war in Europe came past midnight, meaning the country celebrates a day later.
Putin ordered for the event to go ahead on June 24, 2020, using around 14,000 soldiers that had already had coronavirus, and thus had developed immunity against the virus.
This year's event will not be postponed, although the country is still recording at least 8,000 new infections daily.
Russia's annual victory parade comes amid Western concerns over a build up of forces on the country's western border with Ukraine, and as relations between the Kremlin and the west are at their lowest since the Cold War
Russia in recent weeks has deployed tens of thousands of troops to its borders with Ukraine and on Crimea, which defence minister Sergei Shoigu has said was for 'training exercises' in response to 'threatening' NATO actions.
Ukraine has been battling pro-Russian separatists in its east since 2014, in a conflict that erupted after Moscow annexed Crimea, after the country's former Russia-friendly president was driven from power by protests.
Moscow then threw its weight behind separatists in eastern Ukraine, and the conflict there has killed more than 14,000 people in seven years.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks with increasing violations of a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine and a massive Russian troop buildup along the Ukrainian border. Moscow has rejected Ukraine and Western concerns, arguing that it's free to deploy its forces and charging that they don't threaten anyone.
