Russia's Victory Day parade rescheduled for the end of June, Putin says

May 26, 2020 19:52

Russia's annual Victory Day military parade, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held on June 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a televised videoconference Tuesday.

The Victory Day parade, a major celebration to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, was supposed to be held on May 9. The Kremlin had planned to host foreign leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Putin was forced to cancel the parade -- as well as a public vote on constitutional amendments that could extend his rule until 2036 -- as the outbreak in Russia worsened.

The decision to hold the military parade, the first big public event since the beginning of the pandemic, points to a timeline the Russian authorities envision for lifting quarantine restrictions. Putin said specialists believe Russia "has surpassed the peak of the pandemic.

The Immortal Regiment march, an event that involves thousands of people across Russia marching on the streets with portraits of family members who died in the war, will take place a month later, in July, as it would not be possible to hold while observing social distancing, Putin said.

Russia currently ranks third among countries with the most cases of coronavirus, behind the US and Brazil.

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