An elaborate military parade on Victory Day began in Moscow on Wednesday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to solidify support ahead of a national referendum which could keep him in power until 2036.
The annual parade, commemorating the end of World War II in Europe, usually takes place on 9 May. Initially, the Russian president had organized a huge celebration, inviting world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping to join him.
But as with many public events around the globe, the event has been postponed over fears of coronavirus. The Kremlin delayed the event after a letter from veteran organizations voiced concerns about the health risks that could pose such an event.
Many foreign leaders chose to stay away from the rescheduled event but on Wednesday, leaders of several former Soviet states, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who was a prominent coronavirus skeptic, were present.
The audience this year on Red Square has been significantly reduced, with every two to three seats left empty to separate groups of guests. Crowds gathered outside of the square to watch the tanks roll in despite calls from Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin to stay home and watch it on TV.
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