Russian Troops to Take Part in Chinese Victory Day Parade

Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu announced that Russian troops will participate in the Beijing victory parade devoted to the 70th anniversary of the World War II ending.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian troops will participate in the Beijing victory parade devoted to the 70th anniversary of the World War II ending, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said on Sunday after a meeting with Chinese top military official Fan Changlong.

Changlong arrived in Russia with a delegation headed by China's President Xi Jinping to take part in celebrations devoted to the 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

"We gladly accepted the invitation by the minister of defense of the People's Republic of China to take part in celebrations on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II on September 3 this year. We agreed to send a subdivision of the Russian Armed Forces to the military parade," Shoigu said.

The Russian minister thanked China for its troops' participation in the Moscow May 9 Victory parade.

In early April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Xi Jinping had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit China in September when the country will mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Japan.