But while Moscow's parade has concentrated most of the foreign press's coverage the capital's diplomatic corps, millions more Russians across the massive country's 11 time zones held their own festivities across over 26 cities. Overall, the parades garnered millions of spectators, and featured over 44,200 military personnel, 1,340 pieces of military equipment, over 245 aircraft and 45 ships.
First Parade Kicks Off 3 AM Moscow Time
Vladivostok was among the first Russian cities to begin its celebrations, kicking off its grand parade while Moscow slept. For the first time in years, the Pacific Ocean port city's festivities included a naval component featuring five ships, in addition to land, mechanized and air units.
Парад Победы во Владивостоке ( 09.05.2015 ) https://t.co/iEpWyYNlOI с помощью @YouTube
— Константин Фёдоров (@sedoy_66) 9 мая 2015
Not to be outdone, the eastern city of Khabarovsk held its own parade, featuring about 2,000 soldiers –among them pilots, sailors, marines, rail troops, internal troops, border guards, air defense units, communications specialists, and units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations; the parade's mechanized portion included an impressive 110 pieces of equipment, along with a historical portion which featured the legendary T-34.
Первый парад В Хабаровске посвященный 70-летию Победы в Великой Отечественной войне pic.twitter.com/pEOuzOfAXx
— Сергей Шойгу (@s_shoigu) 9 мая 2015
Силу и мощь армии России продемонстрировали в Хабаровске в День Великой Победы: Юбилейный парад с размахом про... http://t.co/Tn5M8eK7qS
— Новости 24 (@news_com_24) 9 мая 2015
Parades across the Eastern Military District in the east of the country also included celebrations on the island of Sakhalin, in Usuriisk, Belogorsk, Chita and Ulan-Ude.
Celebrations then moved on to Novosibirsk, Russia's Siberian academic and industrial center, three hours before those in Moscow. The parade featured units from the Central Military District including 3,000 army personnel, over 60 pieces of mechanized equipment, and an air component including the latest generation of Russian military aircraft.
Парад Победы проходит в Новосибирске – ПРЯМАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ http://t.co/JgRVttr5x8 pic.twitter.com/jvlqeA3nsq
— RT на русском (@RT_russian) 9 мая 2015
1,300 kilometers to the West, the historic city of Tyumen, Russia's first settlement in Siberia, held its parade in the rain. Military servicemen and city residents did not allow the weather to hamper their outpouring of thanks to veterans, who were seated in the stands. The military parade was preceded by a procession of floats featuring mockups of wartime vehicles, and workers in the factories and the fields working tirelessly to send everything to the front, and included a cavalry procession.
Тюмень. Парад Победы https://t.co/9h335JECEu с помощью @YouTube
— Валерий Василенко (@valnik56valnik) 9 мая 2015
Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, located on the axis between Europe and Asia, held its own parade, 2 hours ahead of Moscow's, also under a light rain. Heading the parade were 14 UAZ jeeps driving decorated veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
На площади 1905 года в Екатеринбурге прошел Парад Победы http://t.co/lihrrMjS49 pic.twitter.com/aHla3943zH
— Телекомпания ОТВ (@obltv) 9 мая 2015
The city of Volgograd, the site of the famous battle of Stalingrad, considered one of the turning points of the war, held its parade along Fallen Soldiers' Square. Following the parade, which featured 1,200 personnel and 50 pieces of mechanized equipment, city residents were also treated to an impressive show by a drill team.
Смотрите "Волгоград Парад Победы 2015" / Найди себя!) http://t.co/A2T2KFbaDk
— Kashin Roman (@_d1ckey) 9 мая 2015
Chechnya's festivities in the city of Grozny were surely among the grandest in the Russian Caucasus; in addition to a military parade featuring 2,500 ground troops and 50 units of military equipment, celebrations also included a recreation of the taking of the Reichstag in Berlin featuring a large mockup of the German seat of power.
В Грозном настолько суровый парад Победы, что там пришлось штурмом брать здание суда, переделанное в Рейхстаг. pic.twitter.com/m16konSl4i
— Новости. Как есть (@nourlnews) 9 мая 2015
Парад в Грозном 2015 https://t.co/Xadk1uRJVP с помощью @YouTube
— Политика сегодня (@politics_t0day) 9 мая 2015
The parade in Russia's southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don featured an impressive 1,200 military personnel, 55 pieces of mechanized equipment and 35 air units.
Первые кадры парада в Ростове-на-Дону via Google+ Ростов-на-Дону #ростовнадону #9мая #парад #Победа70 #Победа1945 pic.twitter.com/A0R1t9lqft
— -Bat- (@Rostov_Kolorad) 9 мая 2015
Like Vladivostok's parade, begun seven hours before, the parade in St. Petersburg, Russia's second city, featured a naval component along the river Neva featuring ten navy ships, in addition to a parade which featured 2,000 servicemen and 60 pieces of military equipment.
Парад в честь 70-й годовщины победы в Великой Отечественной войне проходит в Санкт-Петербурге http://t.co/v76qKmQVFd pic.twitter.com/mGPe3kmOD9
— ПАРАД ПОБЕДЫ (@molniaarmiya) 9 мая 2015
Петербург начинает празднование Дня Победы http://t.co/a8SmiTBAt2 pic.twitter.com/3X0HV5XA10
— Невские Новости (@nevnov_ru) 9 мая 2015
The Hero City of Sevastopol in Crimea marked a double celebration. In addition to the 70th Anniversary of Victory, the Black Sea port city also celebrated the 71st anniversary of its liberation from Nazi forces, which occurred on May 9, 1944.
Парад в честь 70-летия Победы в Севастополе https://t.co/WygYnFfKOu с помощью @YouTube
— Тарасюк Валентина (@1951Tarasyuk) 9 мая 2015
Russia's Kaliningrad, 1 hour behind Moscow, wrapped up the military parade portion of Russia's May 9 celebrations. The parade included 1,500 military personnel, 75 pieces of mechanized equipment, 15 aircraft and 10 navy ships.
Всех адекВатных с Днем 70-летия Великой Победы!!! Парад в Калининграде pic.twitter.com/ZHQaCKaJRs
— philosoff (@illusionoff) 9 мая 2015
Former Soviet States Also Mark Celebration With Large Parades
In addition to the parades held across Russia, several states of the former Soviet Union have held their own celebrations of the Great Victory. This included grand parades in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan and Minsk, Belarus. Bishkek's parade featured 2,000 servicemen and nearly 100 pieces of military equipment, while Minsk's included 5,000 personnel and 250 pieces of mechanized equipment. Kazakhstan held its parade dedicated to victory two days earlier in Astana, featuring over 5,000 military servicemen and 200 pieces of military equipment.
Парад Победы в Бишкеке 09.05.2015 https://t.co/7DAQ2nFgxi с помощью @YouTube
— lana (@lana_7891712) 9 мая 2015
CTV.BY: Парад в Минске 9 Мая 2015 https://t.co/cwgrSpBbdA через @YouTube
— Андрій Головатий (@andreyholovaty) 9 мая 2015
В Астане прошёл самый масштабный военный парад в истории Казахстана http://t.co/cCGrmco6AD 5000 военных, 200 техники. pic.twitter.com/06eLW8WUnO
— Алексей Рябцев (@AVRyabtsev) 7 мая 2015
Sky's Not the Limit
Russians' celebration of Victory wasn't limited to the surface of the planet. Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, Mikhail Kornienko, and Gennady Padalka, presently in orbit over the earth aboard the International Space Station, sent their congratulations to the people of Earth.
Congratulations on Victory Day! We will always remember the high price given to save the mankind #VictoryDay #May9th pic.twitter.com/PrLC7prWNc
— Anton Shkaplerov (@AntonAstrey) 9 мая 2015