Military parades, including on Red Square, as well as fireworks to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in World War II will be held on June 24. The corresponding decree was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The document states that the parades and fireworks are “a sign of gratitude of descendants to the victors of the fascist invaders” and “a tribute to deep respect for the great feat, heroism and dedication of war veterans”.

“I decide on June 24 to hold military parades at 10 am local time in Moscow, on Red Square, in other cities of the Russian Federation with the use of armaments and military equipment, using the official symbol of the Victory of the Soviet People in the Great Patriotic War - the Banner of Victory in the established manner. At 22 o'clock local time in Moscow, in other cities of the Russian Federation (hold. - RT ) artillery salute, ”the decree says.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense was instructed, together with the heads of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, to determine the locations for military parades and artillery salutes, as well as to ensure their training.

In addition, June 24, 2020 was declared a day off with the preservation of wages.

Earlier, Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, ordered preparations to be held for the Victory Parade on June 24. As the President of Russia noted, the date was chosen due to the fact that 75 years ago on that day “a legendary, historical parade of winners took place, when fighters who fought near Moscow and defended Leningrad, who fought near Stalingrad, liberated Europe, stormed Berlin". The head of state also called for minimizing any risks to the health of the parade participants and for ensuring the most stringent safety requirements during its preparation and conduct.

In addition, on July 26, Putin ordered a naval parade to be held at the main bases of the Russian Navy. The President also proposed that the procession of the “Immortal Regiment” be held on that day. However, if the safety of the protesters is not possible due to the epidemiological situation, the action will be postponed to a later date.

This year, the “Immortal Regiment” campaign in memory of the participants of the Great Patriotic War was held online because of the COVID-19 epidemic. According to the organizers, about 3 million people took part in it.

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On May 27, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, during a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation, reported that the city authorities had already agreed on the necessary issues with the defense department.

“We are fully prepared for rehearsals and the subsequent parade. We will finalize all the specific organizational measures that need to be finalized already from the point of view of events on the day of the parade together with the presidential administration and the Ministry of Defense, ”Sobyanin said.

Later, the mayor on the Russia 24 television channel said that there would be no free access to Red Square on the day of the Victory Parade. He also expressed hope that by June 24 the situation with coronavirus in the capital would improve.

Recall that the Victory parades, which are traditionally held in many cities of Russia on May 9, were postponed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Russia, at the end of March, a number of restrictions were introduced that are necessary to prevent the spread of infection among the population. The country's leadership decided to abandon the organization of most events dedicated to the anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. On May 9, an air parade was held in the capital, in which about 75 aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces took part.

Meanwhile, the epidemiological situation in the country is improving, and therefore in a number of regions the authorities are beginning to phase out the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19

As the deputy mayor of Moscow, Anastasia Rakova, noted, there are now 2–2.5 times fewer hospital admissions with coronavirus infection in the capital than it was “literally a month ago.” Moreover, from June 1, the second stage of mitigation of restrictive measures comes into force. In the experimental mode for two weeks, Muscovites will be able to take walks and exercise on the street in accordance with a special schedule.