A key moment in history - the military parade in central Moscow on November 7, 1941 - has been relived in Red Square, marking 70 years since Soviet soldiers marched to meet the encroaching Nazi invaders head-on at the frontline.
The main guests, of course, are the veterans who 70 years ago marched through the country’s main square in honor of the 24th anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917. From the Red Square festivities they departed directly for the front, located some 70 kilometers away from the Soviet capital.Forty-two veterans out of a total of 65 alive, according to the official lists, have taken part in the parade. Festive uniforms were specially sewn for each of them.That day the German army had planned to lead its own battalions through the Red Square, but Soviet soldiers managed to meet the threat with a rebuff.Now, remembering those days, they tell the younger generation that the parade empowered the Moscow defenders to mobilize and believe in themselves.Ceremonial parades in honor of that historical military march, which is now believed to have turned the tide of the war for the Red Army, have being held during the last 14 years. However, this is the first faithful re-enactment undertaken. About 7,000 people have taken part in it. The Guard of Honor Company, the Presidential Regiment’s Cavalry Unit, as well as soldiers and officers wearing the 1941 Red Army uniforms and WWII-era military hardware paraded across the Red Square in Moscow. About 4,000 kids from the Moscow Children’s Movement, including those from military-patriotic clubs, amateur archaeological teams and cadet schools have also been involved.