Military Parade in Moscow, June 24th
I have just finished watching for the first time the Victory Parade here in Moscow. I stood probably less than one kilometre from Red Square where the main demonstrations took place. I was less than two meters away from the barriers mounted by the military from Rosgvardia and cops. An immense area around the Kremlin was contoured with removable fences, leaving the subtle perception of the magnificence contained in this fabulous event.
I arrived at the fences by 8h30 am, while some other people had already been waiting since earlier. At 10, when the presentations started officially, a crowd was already formed and stretched about 20 meters away from the fences. There was no clashes between civilians and military, the guards only made some insistent requests telling the watchers and photographers to take a few steps away from the barrier. Some people were careless, standing in the middle of the throng without masks and in result some other people started complaining at that. But these few minor discussions were completely dissolved as the first group of soldiers started marching down the avenue towards the crowd.
Not all the soldiers and vehicles came the way that led to the point where I was, but still there was a lot that could be seen. Long lines of men neatly dressed and marching in admirable synchronization. Some tens of tanks, trucks and other combat vehicles with the padding sound of wheels and treadmills covering the asphalt. Dark smoke coming from the exhaustion pipes left a vicious mist in the air, increasing the sense of military action. From the very start and yet after I had finished taking pictures, the clusters marched and sang loudly war patriotic chants, and for some time I felt ecstatic listening to the uplifting echo of the voices all over the buildings and through the streets. The decorations, the rituals, the sounds, the machinery and everything done for this celebration contaminates you with a desire to fight, a desire to exorcise your homeland out of all enemies.
Also I forgot to mention about the formations of airplanes flying over Red Square, each holding attentive eyes and accompanied by the “Urah” from the watchers. Russia has yet many things to solve now and in its future. Russia doesn’t have a population integrally satisfied with its reality. But once a year, every Russian remembers and looks back at the historical triumph achieved through union and patriotism.