As the military parade sweeps away from Red Square, Victory Day in Russia is far from over. At night, Moscow's skies lit up with fire – but this is no WWII artillery: bright salutes marked the end of the long-drawn, devastating war.
The pyrotechnic display was launched from 14 locations across the capital, with 70 launchers firing off a total of 4,500 rockets.Hundreds of people hurried to the streets to mark each shot with a joyful cheer. Young and old alike joined together to mark the 67th anniversary of Victory Day, paying tribute to those who fought to defeat the Nazis four years after their invasion of the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941.Earlier Wednesday, military parades were held in cities across the country. Moscow’s Red Square saw the biggest event, with 14,000 troops marching across its cobble stones.A minute of silence was also observed throughout Russia at 19:00 Moscow time (15:00 GMT). It was introduced in 1965 as a way to commemorate those who died in the Great Patriotic War, as Russia refers to the part of WWII fought on Soviet territory. The war affected almost every family in the country. Russia suffered astonishingly high casualties: 27 million people died, the majority of them civilians.