Victory Day Military Parade on Red Square - May, 2008

For the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia publicly displayed its strategic arms and heavy weaponry during the annual victory parade.

Arevordi

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Victory Day Military Parade on Red Square

Military parade on Red Square - full version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0VU3KXJaRU

May, 2008

The bristling Red Square parade, once a Soviet standard, enjoyed a revival Friday as phalanxes of hardware, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, rumbled noisily over paving stones to deliver a loud message: The bear is back. Moscow hasn't seen a show like this since 1990 when the Soviets last commemorated the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Within a year the Soviet Union was no more. In the mid-1990s, Russians began to celebrate victory in World War II with a parade on May 9. But the festivities were stripped of displays of weaponry until this year, the 63rd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Eight thousand goose-stepping troops, glamorous in their newly-designed uniforms, as well as tanks, armored vehicles and missiles crossed the square Friday. Overhead, strategic bombers and fighter planes roared across the sky. President Dmitry Medvedev, presiding over his first public ceremony, said Russia's military is "gaining in strength and power like all of Russia."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...=moreheadlines

Victory Day Military Parade on Red Square

Thousands of Russians have turned out for the highlight of the Victory Day celebrations – the annual military parade through Moscow’s Red Square. It’s 63 years since the end of World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. In line with tradition, the military parade began when the clock on the Spassky Tower at the Kremlin struck 10 a.m. A command was given to carry out the State Flag of the Russian Federation and the Banner of Victory. The Standard Bearers Group is made up of the best servicemen from the Guards of Honour Battalion of the 154th Commandant's Regiment. First, was the State Flag of the Russian Federation. Next came the Banner of Victory. The Russian Defence Minister - Anatoly Serdyukov, who came out on his limousine from the Gate of the Spassky Tower took the salute at the Victory Parade. The commander of troops of the Moscow Military District - General of the Army Vladimir Bakin - was commanding the Parade.

Defence Minister Anatoly and General of the Army Vladmir Bakin made their inspection tour before the troops began marching across Red Square. After inspecting the troops, Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov reported to President Dmitry Medvedev - the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Russian Armed Forces. President Medvedev responded. Then the commander of the Parade - General of the Army Vladimir Bakin - gave the order to begin the parade and the linesmen took up their positions on the perimeter of Red Square. Following the limousine of General of the Army Vladimir Bakin, according to tradition, the drummers of the Suvorov Military Music School marched briskly along the cobblestones of Red Square. The youngest drummer was 14-years-old.

Military parade: step-by-step

The first armoured vehicle to enter Red Square is ‘Tigr’ – it’s a light armoured vehicle that can carry up to 9 people and is bullet and bomb proof. It’s meant for special operations and is ideal for cross-country work. The Taman division enters the square on armoured personnel carrier BTR 80. It’s followed by the BMP-3 infantry support vehicle that has 3 crew and can carry up to 7 more troopers, and it has unprecedented fire power in its class. The airborne division 106 brings forward the BMD 4 armoured personnel carrier of the fourth generation. After them, self-propelled artillery systems ‘Sprut 137’ roll into Red Square – they are a significant part of a landing force used for fire support of troops. Next comes the main battle tanks, T-90, armed with the newest equipment capable of destroying targets, both on land and in air. The artillery is often called ‘the God of War’.

The Simferopol regiment of Taman division presents MSTA-S artillery systems used to destroy objects in the 25 km range. Artillery complex ‘Tunguska’ and ‘Tor’ armoured vehicles follow. Next in the parade is ‘Buk’ self-propelled anti-aircraft complex. It switches from travel to battle mode in less than 5 minutes and can be recharged in less than 20 seconds. The only long-range multiple launch rocket system in the world known as ‘Smerch’ enters Red Square. It is capable of high-precision targeting as far as 90 km away. The anti-aircraft rocket system C-300 ‘Favorit’ is considered the best in the world – it can follow 100 targets and hit up to 12 spots simultaneously.

The tactical missile complex ‘Iskander-M’ rolls on to the cubes of Red Square. Its missiles use the ‘stealth’ technology and are virtually invisible to any foe and its capable of destroying targets 280 km away with a minor deviation not exceeding 2 metres. One unique piece of equipment follows the other – ‘Topol’, the missile complex known across the world, is also taking part in the parade. It’s classified SS-25 ‘Sickle’ by NATO and is capable of destroying any existing anti-missile system. Its range is an unimaginable 10 thousand km! The air show is traditionally opened by the famous Russian MI-8 helicopters. They are followed by AN-124 ‘Ruslan’ – the largest cargo plane in the world. It’s escorted by two SU-27 fighter jets. The supersonic strategic bomber TU-160 is seen in the sky above the heart of Moscow – it’s the biggest supersonic jet in the history of aviation that can carry up to 40 tonnes of arms, including several types of controlled missiles, bombs and even nuclear-charged warheads.

It’s escorted by MiG-31 long-range interceptors. Next in the sky are the re-fueler plane IL-78 and TU-95MS strategic bomber followed by MiG-29. SU-34 and SU-24, the production of world-famous Sukhoi, appear next. SU-34 is the newest generation of fighter jets that will eventually substitute the older SU-24 model. They have a practically unlimited flying range – of course, when refueled in flight. Three supersonic long-range bombers with variable wing geometry TU-22M3 enter the airspace above Red Square. They are followed by four SU-25 attack planes flying in battle formation. And the grand finale – a breathtaking air show by aerobatic teams ‘Russian Knights’ and ‘Strizhi’ (‘Swifts’) on SU-27 and MiG-29 planes. By tradition the Victory Parade finished with the composite military orchestra unfolding and marching down Red Square.

Source: http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/24528

Medvedev: Russian Military Gaining in Strength, Power

Russian President Presides Over First Public Ceremony in Red Square

The bristling Red Square parade, once a Soviet standard, enjoyed a revival Friday as phalanxes of hardware, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, rumbled noisily over paving stones to deliver a loud message: The bear is back. Moscow hasn't seen a show like this since 1990 when the Soviets last commemorated the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Within a year the Soviet Union was no more. In the mid-1990s, Russians began to celebrate victory in World War II with a parade on May 9. But the festivities were stripped of displays of weaponry until this year, the 63rd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Eight thousand goose-stepping troops, glamorous in their newly-designed uniforms, as well as tanks, armored vehicles and missiles crossed the square Friday. Overhead, strategic bombers and fighter planes roared across the sky. President Dmitry Medvedev, presiding over his first public ceremony, said Russia's military is "gaining in strength and power like all of Russia."

And drawing a ploy from the playbook of his predecessor Vladimir Putin, who stood beside him, Medvedev appeared to criticize the United States without actually naming the country. "We must not allow contempt for the norms of international law," he said, warning against "intentions to intrude in the affairs of other states and especially redraw borders." Russia, most recently, has criticized Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia, which the United States supported. "The history of world wars warns us that armed conflicts do not erupt on their own," said Medvedev. "They are fueled by those whose irresponsible ambitions overpower the interests of countries and whole continents, the interests of millions of people." At last year's parade, Putin appeared to compare the United States with Nazi Germany. The Kremlin later denied that was his intention.

Putin and Medvedev watched the parade from a reviewing stand -- unlike Soviet leaders who used to stand on top of the mausoleum containing the mummified body of Vladimir Lenin, the first Soviet leader. "This isn't saber rattling," said Putin, speaking earlier this week about the parade. "We're not threatening anyone and we don't plan to do so. We're not imposing anything on anyone. We have enough of everything. This is a demonstration of our growing potential in the area of defense." Around 70 percent of Russians support the return of military hardware to Red Square, according to opinion polls here. "The parade demonstrates that should anything happen we will be able to beat any enemy," said Elena Volkova, an 86-year-old retired school teacher who celebrated Victory Day in a Moscow park. "Our military is respected again. And the West envies Russia and the Russian people because Putin was able to restore the country after such a deep collapse in the 1990s."

Under Putin, defense spending has increased eight-fold to $40 billion annually. Russia has resumed long-range bomber patrols, which have buzzed U.S. ships in the Pacific and forced NATO jets to scramble around Western Europe. And it has threatened to target missiles at Ukraine, Poland and the Czech Republic in response to the expansion of NATO and U.S. plans to station a missile defense system in Central Europe. "Russia want to create an impression of might, the revival of might, and the return of the Soviet-style parade is part of that," said Alexander Khramchihin of the Institute for Political and Military Analysis in Moscow. Putin also restored the music from the Soviet anthem. But for all the martial tub-thumping, the Russian military cannot be compared to its Soviet predecessor. The military is accused of huge waste and corruption that has prevented it from a large-scale modernization. And the army is regarded as such a bastion of brutality and hazing that most young Russian men try to avoid conscription.

A Pentagon spokesman earlier this week derisively dismissed the display of military power. "If they wish to take out their old equipment and take it for a spin and check it out, they're more than welcome to do so," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. But many Russians, nostalgic for lost greatness and proud of Putin's efforts to restore it, dismiss such remarks as nothing more than foreign resentment. A major energy exporter, Russia is flush with revenues from oil and gas sales, and the government has pledged to continue increasing spending on defense. "The U.S. doesn't like it that Russia has become more powerful," said Zoya Khmyryova, 59, who was celebrating Victory Day on Friday. "The parade shows the might of our country."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...=moreheadlines