Russia showcased its military might on Monday with participation of over 11,000 troops and 131 units of modern military equipment in the Victory Day parade held on Red Square in Moscow to commemorate the 77th anniversary of Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
On a cold and overcast day, Russian President Vladimir Putin – who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation – watched the annual parade as the country's 'special military operation' continued in neighbouring Ukraine.
The big cloud of ongoing conflict also hung over the event as Putin highlighted during his speech that Russia had called on the West for "an honest dialogue" on Ukraine but the NATO countries had "completely different plans" and did not want to hear the Kremlin.
"Russia has a different character. We will never give up love for the motherland, faith and traditional values, the customs of our ancestors, respect for all peoples and cultures," said Putin.
A legendary T-34-85 tank opened the passage of the mechanized column which not only included the T-72B3M, T-90M Proryv and the T-14 tanks but also high-security armoured vehicles of the Typhoon family with various combat modules.
Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system, MSTA-S self-propelled howitzer represented weapons of the missile troops and artillery.
It was followed by medium-and short-range anti-aircraft missile systems Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 of army air defence and the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from the Russian Air Force.
The parade also featured Russian soldiers who "liberated" the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics recently.
"Now here, on Red Square, soldiers and officers from many regions of our vast motherland stand shoulder to shoulder, including those who arrived directly from the Donbass, directly from the combat zone," said the Russian President.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, in his message on the Victory Day, "remembered with gratitude" the Indian contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
"We proudly recall that in 1941 and 1942 friendship societies were set up in India in support of the USSR. Brave Indian contingents were engaged in providing supplies to the Red Army through Persia. In 1944, two sons of India were decorated with the highest military award of the Soviet Union – the Order of the Red Star," said Alipov on Monday.
He highlighted that to commemorate the heroic deeds of Indian soldiers, a memorial monument was unveiled at the premises of the Indian Army Headquarters in New Delhi in 2021 which has become one of the symbols of historically strong bonds of friendship between the two nations. 
The Russian Ambassador to New Delhi also reminded that, in order to prevent deliberate distortions and falsifications of the WWII events Russia initiated, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution against glorification of Nazism, has been supported and co-sponsored by the majority of countries, including India.
"We invite all countries to stay united against double standards, hypocrisy in international relations and hidden geopolitical agendas. Cooperation in global affairs is the only way forward, while attempts to undermine the WWII lessons are detrimental to global security," said Alipov.
Also Read: Russia says no Victory Day parade in Mariupol, US issues a security alert for its citizens in Moscow
