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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, arrives to attend the Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in WWII as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, right, with his son Nikolai, second right, sit on a turbine in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The Victory Day parade normally is held on May 9, the nation's most important secular holiday, but this year it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
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An aerial view shows Red Square during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Alexander Vilf via REUTERS
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Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Sergey Guneev via REUTERS
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Russian Su-25 jet aircraft release smoke in the colours of the Russian state flag above Red Square during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Iliya Pitalev via REUTERS
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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu salutes to soldiers as he is driven along Red Square during a military parade, which marks the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow on June 24, 2020. The parade, usually held on May 9, was postponed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. / AFP / Alexander NEMENOV
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Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
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Armenian servicemen march during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
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Russian Su-25 jet aircraft release smoke in the colours of the Russian state flag during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Grigory Sysoev via REUTERS
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A Russian MSTA-SM self-propelled howitzer drives during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency via REUTERS
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Russian Ka-52 "Alligator" military helicopters fly in formation during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Nina Zotina via REUTERS
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Russian sailors, center, march in Red Square during the Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in WWII in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The Victory Day parade normally is held on May 9, the nation's most important secular holiday, but this year it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
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Veterans watch a military parade, which marks the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Dvortsovaya Square in Saint Petersburg on June 24, 2020. The parade, usually held on May 9, was postponed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. / AFP / OLGA MALTSEVA
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This handout picture provided by Host photo agency shows Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets of the Russian Knights aerobatic team and MiG-29 fighter jets of the Swifts aerobatic team flying over Red Square during a military parade, which marks the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow on June 24, 2020. The parade, usually held on May 9, was postponed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Host photo agency / Nina Zotina" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS --- NO ARCHIVE --- / AFP / Host photo agency / Nina Zotina / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Host photo agency / Nina Zotina" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS --- NO ARCHIVE ---
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Russian servicewomen march during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Mikhail Voskresenskiy via REUTERS
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This handout picture provided by Host photo agency shows Russian servicemen marching on Red Square during a military parade, which marks the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow on June 24, 2020. The parade, usually held on May 9, was postponed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Host photo agency / Mikhail Voskresenskiy" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS --- NO ARCHIVE --- / AFP / Host photo agency / Mikhail Voskresenskiy / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Host photo agency / Mikhail Voskresenskiy" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS --- NO ARCHIVE ---
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Servicemen attend the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Evgeny Biyatov via REUTERS
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Russian servicewomen march during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Mikhail Voskresenskiy via REUTERS
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Russian Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35S combat aircraft fly in formation above the Kremlin and Red Square during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Nina Zotina via REUTERS
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Russian military helicopters fly over Red Square during the Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in WWII, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The Victory Day parade normally is held on May 9, the nation's most important secular holiday, but this year it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, Pool)
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Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Evgeny Biyatov via REUTERS
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A Russian Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 aircraft fly over Red Square during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Pavel Golovkin/Pool via REUTERS
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A Russian military band performs during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Iliya Pitalev via REUTERS
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Parade formations are seen ahead of the military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The Victory Day parade normally is held on May 9, the nation's most important secular holiday, but this year it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Mikhail Voskresenskiy, Host Photo Agency via AP)
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Russian Su-25 jet aircraft release smoke in the colours of the Russian state flag during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Grigory Sysoev via REUTERS
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Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army march during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Ramil Sitdikov via REUTERS
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Russian Su-25 jet aircraft release smoke in the colours of the Russian state flag during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. The military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, was scheduled for May 9 but postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Host photo agency/Vladimir Sergeev via REUTERS
Updated 24 June 2020
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Russia holds grand WWII parade ahead of vote on Putin reforms

Russia holds grand WWII parade ahead of vote on Putin reforms

Columns of tanks and troops will parade through Red Square on Wednesday as President Vladimir Putin oversees grand World War II commemorations to stir up patriotic fervour ahead of a vote on extending his rule.
Forced to postpone the country's traditional May 9 Victory Day celebrations by the coronavirus pandemic, Putin rescheduled the parade for just a week ahead of a July 1 public vote on controversial constitutional reforms.