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This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
May 9, 2025, Victory Day marks the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. This date has been commemorated across the former Soviet republics, beginning with Russia, through various memorial ceremonies and military events. The 2025 celebrations took place against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War and the resulting international political and security environment.
Military parade and official protocol at Red Square, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
On May 9, 2025, a military parade was held at Moscow’s Red Square to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. The parade was commanded by General of the Army Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, and inspected by Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. Prior to the ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed foreign leaders who had arrived in Moscow to attend the event at the Kremlin.
Military parade and official protocol at Red Square, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
More than 11,500 soldiers participated in the parade, approximately 1,500 of whom were personnel involved in the military campaign in Ukraine. The parade began with the procession of the Russian national flag and the Victory Banner, raised over the Reichstag in Berlin in 1945.
In his address to the troops and spectators, President Vladimir Putin affirmed that the memory of the victory in the Great Patriotic War is faithfully preserved and declared this day the most important national holiday for the Russian people. He condemned attempts to distort the historical narrative of the war and emphasized the nation’s commitment to upholding the legacy of the victors.
President Vladimir Putin, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
Putin also stated that Russia stands as an unyielding barrier against Nazism, hostility toward Russia, and antisemitism, and pledged to continue defending these values. He honored the unity of the Soviet people who bore the full burden of the war, the resistance shown in occupied territories, and the civilians who sustained production on the home front. He acknowledged the joint struggle with Western allies, the Chinese people, and resistance movements, asserting that the victory was won for all of humanity.
More than 20 countries were represented by heads of state and government officials at the ceremony. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended as a special guest and sat alongside Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the official podium. Also present were Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Egyptian President Abdelfattah el-Sisi, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on the official podium alongside Russian leader Vladimir Putin, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was one of the rare leaders of an European Union member state to attend the ceremony. Leaders and military representatives from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cuba, Mongolia, and the Congo also participated.
More than 130 military vehicles and weapon systems were displayed during the parade at Red Square. The parade opened with a historic T-34 tank, followed by various armored vehicles and tanks including the Tigr-M, VPK-Ural, BTR-82A, BMP-3, Kurganets-25, T-72B3M, and T-90M Proryv.
For the first time, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and loitering munitions were included in the parade. Models such as Orlan, Lancet, Garpiya, and Geran were showcased. Among heavy weapons, the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile system, the S-400 air defense system, and the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system were displayed.
Military systems displayed in the parade, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
During the air demonstration, Su-30SM, MiG-29, and Su-25 fighter jets flew over Red Square. The parade concluded with Su-25 aircraft tracing the colors of the Russian flag across the sky.
Following the military parade, President Vladimir Putin and foreign leaders and international organization officials proceeded to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden, Moscow. There, wreaths and carnations were laid and a moment of silence was observed in honor of fallen soldiers.
On May 8–10, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral ceasefire coinciding with Victory Day. This decision was announced simultaneously with a call from U.S. President Donald Trump and was linked to ensuring the security of the ceremonies.
Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian town of Kostyantynivka, May 8, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that during the ceasefire period, hostilities had ceased, troops remained in their current positions, and air and missile units suspended operations. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were accused of violating the ceasefire, attempting border incursions in the Kursk region, and launching 488 attacks along various front lines.
On May 8, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a video message delivered while walking through the streets of Kyiv, noted that over eight million Ukrainians lost their lives during the Second World War. He emphasized that the war that began in 2022 continues, that similar tragedies are being repeated, and that air raid sirens have once again echoed over Kyiv.
Zelenskyy stated in his message that despite the conditions of war, the Ukrainian people continue to live in their homeland and fight for peace and stability. He declared, “Every occupier will eventually leave our land. Life always returns.” He added that either Russia must fundamentally change or the world must change.
In the lead-up to Victory Day, four of Moscow’s airports were temporarily closed due to Ukrainian drone attacks targeting the capital. To ensure the safety of the ceremonies, mobile internet access was suspended in at least 31 Russian regions, and metal detectors were deployed at entry points to celebration areas. No major attacks occurred.
On May 9, 2025, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, accompanied by his wife Mehriban Aliyeva, visited the grave of General Hezi Aslanov, a Hero of the Soviet Union, in Baku. Flowers were laid at the grave and a moment of silence was observed in honor of Azerbaijani soldiers who died in the war.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva at the grave of Hero of the Soviet Union General Hezi Aslanov in Baku, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
During the Second World War, over 640,000 Azerbaijanis served in the Soviet armed forces, more than 300,000 of whom died. A total of 130 Azerbaijanis were awarded the title “Hero of the Soviet Union.” Azerbaijan supplied 80 percent of the Soviet army’s fuel and 90 percent of its motor oil during the war.
In Uzbekistan, May 9 has been observed since 1999 as the Day of Remembrance and Respect. In the capital Tashkent, citizens gathered at Memory Square and laid flowers at the statue of the Mourning Mother, observing a moment of silence for those who perished in the war.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits the memorial dedicated to those who died in the war, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
Approximately two million people from Uzbekistan, then with a population of 6.5 million, were sent to the front during the Second World War. Of these, 540,000 died and over 160,000 were never accounted for. Uzbekistan served as a key logistical base for supplying munitions and food to the front, and nearly 300 industrial enterprises were relocated to the republic during the war.
Victory Day was commemorated with ceremonies across Kazakhstan. Senior state officials laid wreaths at war memorials in the capital Astana, while in Almaty, a commemorative march involving approximately 30,000 people took place. Participants walked carrying portraits of their grandfathers who died in the war, accompanied by a massive Kazakh flag.
Commemorative ceremony in Kazakhstan, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
More than 1.2 million Kazakhs served on the front during the Second World War, over 600,000 of whom died. Ninety percent of the munitions used in the war were produced in Kazakhstan. More than 500 Kazakh soldiers were awarded the title “Hero of the Soviet Union,” including Rahimjan Koşkarbayev, who planted the Victory Banner on the Reichstag building in Berlin.
On May 9, 2025, Kyrgyzstan held a “Immortal Regiment” march. Organized by the Bishkek City Administration, citizens carried photographs of family members who served in the war. A one-minute silence was observed at the Eternal Flame Memorial, and flowers were laid at the monument. Military equipment used during the war and an S-300 air defense system acquired from Russia were displayed at the event. At its conclusion, traditional military rations were served to veterans. The Mayor of Bishkek visited a 100-year-old war veteran at his home to celebrate the occasion.
Military parade organized by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Defense at Alatoo Square in Bishkek, May 9, 2025 – Anadolu Agency
Ceremonies were also held in the republics and ethnic regions of the Russian Federation’s Siberian territories. In particular, in Buryatia, Tuva, Sakha (Yakutia), Zabaykalsky, Irkutsk, and Omsk regions, relatives of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war participated in the “Immortal Regiment” march.
In the Sakha Republic, a large waltz performance involving 5,500 couples was held. The Alrosa company in the region named its largest diamond ever extracted “80 Years of Victory” in honor of the anniversary.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, stated on May 9, 2025, that leaders of EU member or candidate countries should not attend the Moscow ceremonies, citing Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
The governments of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania closed their airspace to diplomatic flights to Moscow. This decision forced some heads of state intending to attend the ceremony to alter their routes. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić reached Moscow via Azerbaijan after being denied permission to fly over the Baltic states.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended the Victory Day ceremonies as the head of government of an EU member state. His presence alongside Putin in Moscow drew significant attention within the European Union. Fico described Latvia’s airspace decision as “highly destructive.”
On the same day as the Moscow ceremonies, dozens of diplomats from Europe and North America gathered in Lviv, western Ukraine. The meeting addressed the proposal to establish a “special war crimes court” to examine Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Attendees included EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
The Ukrainian government announced that it could not guarantee the safety of foreign leaders attending the Moscow ceremonies on May 9, 2025.
The May 9, 2025 Victory Day commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. The main ceremony held in Moscow featured 11,500 soldiers, displays of modern and historical weapon systems, and a speech by President Vladimir Putin. Numerous heads of state attended the ceremony including Chinese President Xi Jinping. The events took place against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine the declared ceasefire process and international diplomatic developments.
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May 9, 2025
Main Ceremonies in Moscow
May 9, 2025
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War on the Celebrations
May 9, 2025
Commemorative Events Across the Former Soviet Space
May 9, 2025
Diplomatic Repercussions