Russia commemorates WWII victory

The Victory Day parade in Red Square was the climax of commemorations

MOSCOW, Russia -- President Vladimir Putin has joined hundreds of ageing World War II veterans at a parade commemorating victory over the Nazis 56 years ago.

Putin called for unity among Russians as he inspected 5,000 servicemen marching in Red Square, including troops returning from current hot spots such as the breakaway republic of Chechnya.

"Our nation had such unity and such a will that this strength was enough to raise the world to fight fascism," he said, in remembrance of the over 20 million people lost by the Soviet Union during the war.

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"We have no right to give up this spirit today."

Against a background of fierce Russian opposition to U.S. plans for a national missile defence system, he warned:

"The experience of post-war history shows that one cannot build a safe world only for oneself, moreover one which harms the interests of others."

A 600-piece military band played and a huge banner reading "USSR -- Victory!" ran along one side of Red Square at the climax of Victory Day celebrations.

For the first time the war veterans did not join the drills because of fears for their health and instead stood along the sides of the square.

The president, who was born seven years after the war's end but lost a brother in the 900-day siege of Leningrad, said that on entering the 21st century the victory's "significance only grows."

"It gave us the opportunity to live in peace and do creative work and made our state independent and proud."

German representatives surrendered to the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower in Reims, France, on May 7, 1945, with an Allied victory announced the following day. The war ended with the Japanese surrender later in the year.

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