Vladimir Putin has led Russia’s Victory Day commemorations with a parade in Red Square, amid heightened security following Ukrainian strikes on Moscow.
China’s Xi Jinping joined the Russian president as he told thousands of soldiers that Russia remembered the lessons of World War Two.
He also used his speech to tie the war to today’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and said all of Russia was behind what he called the “special military operation” – now well into its fourth year.
BBC Monitoring’s Russia Editor Vitaly Shevchenko reflects on the day’s events.
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