a day to remember russia commemorates 75 years since the defeats of the nazis but the pandemic right now means the plans have changed with events scaled back. so no parades on the rug but the aerial tributes still took to the air of military life passed in the skies above moscow. and making sure they are never forgotten the immortal regiment march which usually

sees millions of russian. court traits of the relatives who were sold lined issue. hello this is r.t. from moscow it's made the night to date indelibly etched in russian minds it's a victory day and exactly 75 years ago nazi germany was defeated and the 2nd world war in europe was over this year's commemorations may be subdued in size and spectacle but the emotion the pride the immense gratitude is nonetheless as usual being felt nationwide as the country remembers the incalculable sacrifices made by soviet troops and civilians who suffered the war's biggest casualties. really. even though you may know.

june 22nd 1941 and germany's surprise invasion of the u.s.s.r. started what will become known in russia as the great battery or to. the nazis had a significant advantage in numbers and military equipment allowing troops to gain vast amounts of territory with little resistance in a matter of months they were of moscow's doorstep. but after a series of fierce battles and unforeseen resistance from the soviet people the germans were still unable to enter the city and were forced to retreat meanwhile the german psychs are around in the northern capital leningrad today some petersburg mounting a military blockade which would last for $872.00 days freezing temperatures and a desperate lack of food and water turned the city into a living hell. amid countless deaths starvation and suffering some comfort was to be found from a sound heard across the city hundreds of loudspeakers and radios played the

constant with macby to the metronome the leningrad heartbeat became a symbol of resistance. on the southern front the battle for sterling grad would become one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. there are a soviet soldiers life expectancy was less than 24 hours and after 5 grueling months the hellish massacre ended with an estimated $2000000.00 casualties. but that hard earned victory for the soviet forces was a turning point of the war dealing a huge blow to nazi morale and proving they were not invincible by 944 the u.s.s.r. had cleared the enemy from all of its territories and started advancing on berlin. as british and american forces created a 2nd front soviet troops were able to liberate others after the fall of berlin in

may 1945 germany capitulated but the price paid was horrific more than 26000000 soviet people died in the great patriotic war more than half of them were civilians. made the 9th was declared victory day to commemorate the great sacrifice humanity paid for its freedom and a reminder of the horrors that war brings upon the lives of those who fight for their very existence. this year's victory day celebrations were supposed to be the largest in recent memory but that's not possible of course because of today's reality our correspondents illiterate trenker more goes to another less covering what has been taking place what is taking place and how it's been made possible. i can tell you that this place never looked like this on may 9th in his recent history red square is completely empty we do understand why

but yeah it does feel absolutely special care well what if i put it this way made the 9th is probably the most important whoa. all day for russians for the people of this country for the former soviet republics on the clock the calendar yes of course there is easter the rez the new year's eve but every time i explain to everyone why this is so important we do have to remember the price that this country paid for this more than 75 years ago we do have to remember that no other country lost so many people more than 25000000 perished people perished in this war this is indeed hard to believe that red square at this point is empty but like the russian president was saying this doesn't mean that there won't be a fully fledged celebration perhaps at some point later this year.

russia victory. so we loan for all of us. the biggest thing that we can. do we sell a price and a solemn. and it's a national. spiritual value and this is a stream an important should we appreciate. that sometimes the russian people of russia really different nationalities and ethnic groups will have shoulder to shoulder and will front have. definitely to write in red square. marching down the moscow st louis and the streets of russia that we. fought against. and we will be united as we are united by

the memory. and the spirit of responsibility. and the future and we need you we strongly believe that we will prevail when we all together. happy victory die. we heard her raise from other russian service men i can tell you that on any other may 9th we know this whole ray would have been much louder because it would have come from the hundreds or even thousands of soldiers marching or actually being ready to march through red square and we also have to remember what the person behind world war 2 was the plan was the plan was to destroy this country to store this city all together so you can think of a world without russia

a wall without moscow but not only the soviet troops managed to defend their motherland they went all the way to berlin to pretty much save the world and this is what happened here in the month after the heroes came back this kicked off the tradition there was a massive parade for the heroes and ever since then there were some pauses we saw troops marching here on red square on may 9th to celebrate this this is a very deep in the souls 'd of all the people and this country the coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll it was a big question for everyone whether the parade was going to happen and on april 16th president putin decided to can. 'd to make sure that none of this happens on this may 9th clearly because of all the dangers but let's just have a look at what the parade looked like exactly one year ago.

on this may 9th of course when everyone is in quarantine that doesn't mean that there is no room for some of the victory day traditions and once again at 7 pm there will be a minute of silence and russians have been encouraged to go to their balconies hold the portraits of their relatives their loved ones who took part in the war or who

somehow contributed to the victory and one of these traditional events. is of course the fireworks that usually happen in the evening they will indeed take place but people were told to stay at home and once again join the show from the balconies people. usually you see crowds all riled moscow because the fireworks are launched from different locations this is something that everyone from the youngest generation to the oldest generations are usually keen to watch aerial part of the parade that is the opening section of this traditional event that we will witness. is in a location from where the view spectacular so i just want to ask a b. could see something or maybe he heard something any news about what's going on with this part of the show here they come as is tradition now headed by the the

flying cow as they call it the meat 26 aircraft flanked by me 8 aircraft at smaller brother i've been in that aircraft you can fit 70 odd people into that helicopter it's bigger than most restaurants an absolutely huge piece that is there's actually a video once of it's carrying another helicopter slung slung below it just just behind the alligator's we should see the the night honda's the me 28 designated to work and in rule whether designated to the flight. at any time of the day as the name implies the the night hunter. there they are i can imagine see them behind me what a what a spectacle. credible threat at least to do it in this in this

terrible time interest russians can look out their windows self isolation and see these beautiful machines. move ahead that is the the final wave at the helicopters next we should see the heavy a boys the the aircraft and that is the. a 50 you see a 50 year rushes i in the sky capable of seeing hundreds of kilometers in all directions when it's an airborne tracking threats up to 50 threats from from again hundreds of kilometers away organizing defenses organizing other jets to shoot to spy aircraft. behind it's a trio of 76 transport aircraft these are the workhorses and i can tell you from experience they were heavily used in in syria a juror in the operation you don't want to be anywhere near these when they take

off the. huge forces they generate to. do this repeat cleanup and to 95 bad you want the nasal pilots until you've been moved allies to intercept these off the coast of california for example a very old aircraft but a good barely recognizable front from those released during the last century they've been modernized with all sorts of avionics and electronics again screaming hoover over moscow. and up next up next i would say my favorite aircraft the world's largest fastest and heaviest bomb but the 2160 whites was an absolutely beautiful aircraft surrounded by 222 such small a small a sibling's zul happening very quickly obviously these are jets that barely a 100 meters 150 to 300 meters above the city. do this see if you've

got enough time to mention everything the next leg still suhoor this is susie sue 30 and sooth 30 five's. fighter aircraft and bombers together these would actually be used in syria. operations against the hardest terrorist they're. studying is absolutely stunning footage. after this rushes to the most famous arab batiks the flying me 20 times and sue 30 in the diamond cuban guy live with me she says this is. selling celebrating and congratulating russians. with the 9th of may and capping the parade . a formation that sue 25 rounds that their great aircraft streaking across moscow

and things in the sky in the russian trying to land in the flag of the russian federation. and that's it ladies and gentlemen at least at least we got our airship. yes indeed we did we enjoyed it every war veteran has a gripping story to tell of course and we wanted you to get in touch with these heroes so. as many of you could could join our victory e-mail project so we got in contact with them we asked you to send the letters in and so you did here are some of those heartfelt letters of appreciation and most of them have already been sent on to the veterans with a few exceptions i've got some on the desk in front of me here in a couple of other envelopes because we couldn't pass more of the moment because of coronavirus but as soon as we can you can be very sure we will forward them now these letters let's get a little closer look at them show that these letters are puter for some of them they've been decorated with the st george ribbon which of course was so synonymous

with the victory day parade the fire in the gunpowder you got some letters here this one is coming from boston this one's coming from was it from adelaide australia. another letter now from italy and a letter here from were you yes. it's a here from china but i want to show these as well as the love and care is gone into that all sketch these are from an orphanage children of put the. letters in here this is particularly special one as well because of my story coming up this is for a gentleman in the u.k. early davis who served in britain's royal navy and served on the arctic convoys which brave german air raids the liver much needed military equipment and food to the u.s.s.r. and here is his story. as

in this side as goat song really guy was at so i'm churchill say it was one of the worst journeys in the world and there's a. most respect for them. if you think you've got it all began. and indeed it's always well we say he summed up. starving to death. and. up into a sad a cemetery where they just mans of earth where they local was wide and i

just saw a bear with them then no nines they just numbers. there was $27000000.00 russians would during the war. and where they had their sacrifice and the sacrifice of days russian convoys that will never been one the only regret. dumps by russia. no i hear of you know. quite happy. to reply to any letters that you with the saying. we just. try there's a white face. we salute you said you know

a relatively new tradition each year on the tree day sees hundreds of thousands of russians march with portrayed some of their relatives who fought in the war is called the immortal regiment and i've heard about it before since 2012 and see munches not only nationwide bill so far beyond russia's borders to this shit cause things bit different the pandemics put a stop to major public gatherings but where there's a will there's a way as they say and done in hawkins told me how it's going to work than earlier. well moscow surprisingly empty this month of my abouts on surprisingly given the circumstances you'd expect normally crowds of people to be attending the parade on red square and obviously the immortal regiment something which has become much additional in only russia but across the world it started back in 2012 in a small siberian city of tomsk and it's ballooned to now include over 110 countries 500 different cities and millions of people not only in russia but also tens of thousands across the world as well and of course while you can't hold the burchill

military parade you can hold a virtual remembrance ceremony that's exactly what has happened over 2000000 people have submitted photos and stories over there but it is of their absence those. who fought many of whom died in the 2nd mold war the great patriotic war as it's known here in russia that ceremony will be broadcast on social media and also on television throughout the day that those stories those photos sweeping from eastern russia away from but of course that were far east all the way to kaliningrad the west the most point of russia and it's going to take hours i can tell you to do probably the best part of the day because there just have been so so many submissions this means so much to so many people there's not one family in russia and that was the fact that they didn't lose someone during the war and this tradition has become over the last 8 years really something to mark to honor to celebrate those. who sacrificed so much and at 7 pm today here in moscow russians

are encouraged to open their windows go to the balconies hold up the portraits old their ancestors who gave their sacrifices and to sing to sing the victory day song which perhaps encompasses everything that they stay means the most important festival here in russia the suffering the sacrifice and a celebration of the great patriotic war and music and song is of course just one of the ways people remember those those days those sacrifices and has managed to break down borders across thousands of miles even as far as australia and mainly one small child would have been be where a $28.00 man choir finds happen to be fans of russian music called military songs of illusionary songs have got together and transcended so many miles across the borders and have become somewhat of a hit not only domestically but also a that ashley and here in russia this is the choir and some of the creative music

they have produced paula time to. salt to issue the post of the new boy. oh. oh. yes me is part of the actually that russian war song and we put together that montage on autopsy and of course they were also the fights at soup perform at the big treat a celebration this year all right square that has happened for all these reasons but they invite still stands and should that event go ahead or rather when it goes and that is the question they said they're very happy to comes along and visits and i decided to have it will dish in with them as well to see if i can make the cut and perhaps join in. signal holder of time to you got out of her tower to do

sono are there usually the floor saluted needle the art of the car call. news release for all of you to go the whole hour the har har the. just needed harlow who. was a hard act to follow those guys are pretty good but i hope i managed to make the addition of maybe we'll level city together when they do come to moscow and that they've also said that they were really surprised that overwhelmed but how much of their songs of but people not only in the ex-pat community in australia where they have become a staple a huge hit but also messages from russia from all those miles away this is what they have to say being able to celebrate the end of holy war is a marvelous thing and to remember the suffering that was always involved

and that song seems to really speak it just as a song as much as what it is really saying in a moving place and i think music particularly in the exchange of cultures is art it's uplifting and it brings hope we've also had a lot of private messages sorry i spoke of trump a poll. in russia has said things like i cried. you know i used to sing this song with my grandparents at family gatherings. people have been very very kind to us loathe a certain item a celebration is perhaps the 1st thing in recent times for some for some generations in living memory when a parade has taken place when the streets are lined with people celebrating that hasn't. stop people marking this very important day for russia in their own way

through the online version with through the media what song off the balconies and windows that's going to be quite a sight quite a sound a bit late at night and certainly it's a question of when rather than if people will be able to. mark this very important holiday very important day albeit a little later. years was saying earlier on better days will come now one of the most tragic in a harrowing chapters of the great patriotic war was the siege of leningrad back them it lasted for a crippling 872 days and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives leningrad which is no petersburg was one of the key strategic targets for nazi germany the blockade and constant aerial bombing during a bitter winter caused mass starvation condemning residents to a slow painful death it was one of the longest and bloodiest sieges in history indeed a visual record of those times seen through the eyes of children in the city has

been preserved for decades and has been developed into a unique arts project for this 75th anniversary.

and that is her victory day $75.00 is shaping up so far this may the 9th meated celebrations in many ways this year but reflections on what the day signify is still very much in people's minds of course across russia and beyond could tell you next week full of the russian volunteers who found and recovered the remains of some 120000 missing 2nd world war soldiers on land and at sea the program is called finding the fall and next here.

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