1995 Moscow Victory Day Parades

General of the Army Vladimir Govorov, and Marshal Victor Kulikov inspecting the parade.

The Moscow Victory Day Parades of 1995 (Russian: Парад Победы, tr. Parad Pobedy) were two military parades held on 9 May 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in 1945. The parades marked the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War.[1] These were the first post-Soviet military parades held in Russia the first one being in Poklonnaya Hill and the second one being held for veterans in Red Square.

Poklonnaya Hill Parade

The Poklonnaya Parade was the first parade in the post-Soviet era and the only one in the Yeltsin era to feature military hardware, which would not be displayed again until 2008. The parade was observed by Russian leaders and foreign dignitaries from a provisional facade. Major political figures attending were President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin, First Lady Naina Yeltsina, and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. The parade was inspected by Minister of Defence General of the Army Pavel Grachev and commanded by Moscow Military District Commander Colonel General Leonid Kuznetsov. It was on that very parade where Russian soldiers paraded with new post-Soviet military uniforms. It was the first time since 1957 that aviation took part in the parade.[2]

Red Square Parade

The Red Square Parade was the another parade held in post-Soviet and in the Yeltsin era but did not feature military hardware, which would not be displayed again until 2008. This parade would feature all surviving veterans from all fronts marching past Red Square. The parade was observed by Russian leaders from Lenin´s Mausoleum and foreign dignitaries, most notably United States President Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister John Major, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Major political figures attending were President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. The parade was inspected by retired Marshal of the Soviet Union Viktor Kulikov and commanded by retired General of the Army Vladimir Govorov. In this parade, Russian President Boris Yeltsin delivered his first Victory Day address. This parade was also the only to feature and show the Iberian Gate and Chapel under construction on Red Square, which was later finished the following year.

International Guests

References

  1. ↑ "On May 9, 1995, the historic Victory Parade in 1945 was reproduced on Red Square".
  2. ↑ "For the first time since 1957, aviation was participating in the parade, including the strategic bombers Tu-95 and Tu-160 (in 1958-1994 air parades were not conducted on any of the state holidays of the USSR and the Russian Federation over Red Square)".

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