Victory Day - 9th May 2014

As mentioned in my previous post, Victory Day on 9th May of each year is a very special occasion in Russia and is also a public holiday.  While Moscow boasts a very grand military parade, Saint Petersburg also has its own parade and fireworks display.  Across the country people marked the 69th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, to which the Soviet Union paid a very high price: in the tens of millions.  This city alone lost over half a million civilians during the blockade between 8th September 1941 and 27th January 1944.  Most of those died from starvation, the bombing and disease.  The Red Army lost over a million soldiers defending the city.  Therefore, with such huge numbers of people killed, captured and missing, it is small wonder that this remains in the collective conscience of ordinary Russians today.

 

The huge human cost in lives during the Siege of Leningrad




Victory Day in the Hero City of Leningrad

Victory Day ribbon in the colours of the Order of St George

 

 



In the western world we celebrate V.E Day, but this does not really compare to the scale of the celebrations in modern Russia.  It is a big deal, and people of all ages participate.  There are the dwindling numbers of veterans who take part, with their medals on their jackets and coats.  There are also members of the armed forces of the Russian Federation who march on parade and down the avenues of Saint Petersburg.  This also always contains a contingent of military cadets from the army and naval academies; of whom some are only a little over 10 years of age.  Then there are groups of young folk, dressed in period uniforms of the Red Army. 

 



 



Re-enactors in Red Army and Navy Uniforms

 

The day had started off on a wet note.  It had been raining heavily.  So,  I decided to see the procession that was starting (near me) from Sovietskaya Street and would make its way past the victory obelisk in Ploschad Vosstaniya and onto Nevsky Prospekt.  Its final destination would be the Peter and Paul Fortress several kilometres away.  I walked passed the gathering of re-enactors, veterans, soldiers and civilians as I made my way to the area around the metro station.  This would give me a fairly good view of the parade which would start at 5 pm.  Just before the start it began to rain.  And when it rains here, it pours.  However, this did not dampen people's spirits and I can only describe the atmosphere around me as emotional - sombre and yet jubilant.  I looked at the ancient faces of the veterans and wondered about the pains they had gone through, the loss of friends and family.  This brought a tear rolling down my cheek.  I suppose a lot of tears were mixing with the rain that day. 

 

 



A car for some veterans.  Hero City of Leningrad is the sign on the building

Then the parade began.  At the vanguard of the procession were troops holding banners with the names of the various fronts (army groups) of the Great Patriotic War.  To their rear were the drummers and musicians.  I think the drums made the spectacle even more dramatic.  The deep booms echoed throughout the soaked streets.  Next came the veterans and the re-enactors, and then finally ordinary citizens of Saint Petersburg carrying placards with the pictures and names of the fallen.  Again, very emotional.  But, what struck me were the cheers coming from the crowd.  Every time a car full of veterans passed by a huge urrah! could be heard from the well-wishers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, here is a video I made of the occasion:

 

 

 

 С Днём Победы! = Happy Victory Day!

 

Next year should be even bigger as it is the 70th Anniversary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



Armed Forces of The Russian Federation

Next week is Victory Day on 9th May.  This happens every year to commemorate victory over Nazi Germany in The Great Patriotic War, as the Russians call the Soviet part of the Second World War.  Parades are held in cities; the largest being in Moscow.  However, my host city, Saint Petersburg, will hold theirs on Palace Square, outside the Hermitage Museum.  This I intend to see and take some video footage, as well as some photos which I'll post on this blog.

 



So, the purpose of VD is to remember those who served in the Red Army, in defence of the Motherland and the final westward assault on the Third Reich ending in May 1945.  As time passes, fewer and fewer veterans of that conflict are able to attend.  However, they are not forgotten.  The parade will consist of members of the modern armed forces of The Russian Federation, including the city's cadets.

Palace Square with St Isaac's Cathedral in the background

 

 

Female soldiers and cadets (above) Russian veterans (below)

 

 

 

Russian Forces Today

The modern Russian army, air force and navy may not be on the grand scale of the old Soviet armed forces, but it is still a large size with a huge amount of firepower.  Eyes are now looking at the Russian military as the crisis in eastern Ukraine continues.  Of course the question is: will they be used to intervene in Ukraine in the near future?  Whatever the answer, the facts are quite clear about the Russian military:  they are well-equipped, have large numbers and have some of the best-trained and experienced special forces in the world.  A formidable foe for any army.

 

Russian Armed Forces (HD)

 

It is not uncommon to see young conscripts and cadets walking around the city in their uniforms.  I see them nearly everyday on the metro.  Some of the cadets attend a military school  I say school, because they are just schoolboys in military uniform.  When a young man reaches eighteen, if he is deemed physically and mentally fit, he is eligible to do a period of national service.  This can be delayed if the man enters university.  While thousands of young men avoid service each year (resulting in arrests), tens of thousands are fed into the ranks of the Russian military. 

 

 

 

Source:   http://www.ft.com

 

As you can see by the numbers above, it's a military that dwarfs my own country's numbers. 

 

The Army: Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации

 

    

 

Army uniform insignia with tricolour (above) VDV paratroopers (below)

 VDV: Воздушно-десантные войска - Air-Land-Forces

 

Special Forces - Speznaz

 

The first time I had heard of Speznaz (special forces) was a film from the 80s starring Dolph Lundgren.  It was called 'Red Scorpion' They were portrayed as the Soviet elite.  Today Russia's Speznaz can be found in the army and the Ministry of Interior/FSB.  GRU Speznaz are attached to the intelligence wing of the army - ГРУ ГШ) or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye Generalnovo Shtaba (Главное Разведывательное Управление Генерального Штаба) meaning Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff.  During the last decade or so, Speznaz have been used to fight against separatists in the Caucuses  - most notably in Chechnya and Dagestan.

 

 



 GRU Speznaz:  Russia's elite

  

 

The Airforce:  Военно-воздушные cилы России

 

 

 

 

MiGs and Sukhoi fast jets make up the fighter wings of the Russian Air Force.  The picture above is the new MiG 35 multirole fighter which was derived from the very capable and agile MiG 29 Fulcrum.  It first flew in 2007.

 

The iconic Hind attack helicopter has been revamped into the new Mi-35:

 

 

The Kamov Ka-50 below: 

 

 

 

The Navy:  Военно-морской Флот Российской Федерации (ВМФ России)

 

 

 

 

 

And finally... Russian Navy hovercraft lands on a crowded beach: