Missiles, tanks and other heavy weaponry rolled through Moscow’s Red Square in Russia’s Victory Day parade, a tradition from the Soviet era which highlights the country’s military confidence today.
A show of military might
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, flanked by his predecessor Vladimir Putin and senior army officers, watches a Victory Day parade in Moscow. Mr Medvedev's first big outing as president saw him presiding over the first display of tanks and missiles on Red Square since the end of the Soviet era. Mr Medvedev sat next to Mr Putin for much of the ceremony, and state television lingered on a side view showing the two men's profiles.
In a Victory Day speech President Medvedev issued a pointed warning against countries interfering in other states' affairs. Stepping forward to the podium, the new president stopped short of the abrasive language deployed by his predecessor and mentor last year, when Mr Putin appeared to liken the US to Hitler's Third Reich.
Russian soldiers ride across Red Square in T-90 tanks. As well as displaying more than 100 tanks, the parade show-cased armoured vehicles and 30 aircraft and helicopters that seemed designed to highlight Russia's regained national confidence.
Soldiers march through Red Square carrying flags displaying portraits of the Soviet state founder, Vladimir Lenin. The parade honours Russia's enormous world war II sacrifices - nearly nine million Red Army soldiers are estimated to have died in the war.
Marching bands and 8,000 troops goose-stepped across Red Square. Generals shouted orders at soldiers, representing different branches of Russia's one million-strong armed forces
Soldiers wearing world war II-era replica uniforms march across Red Square. About three million Second World War veterans are still alive, but although they receive extensive public praise, their pensions are small and many live in poor conditions.
Soldiers ride across Red Square in T-90s, Russia's most modern tank. The tanks were said to be fitted with special tracks that would avoid ripping up Moscow's roads. But the city authorities were this week reported to have earmarked $40m for road repairs and resurfacing following the parade.
Soldiers wearing World War II-era replica pilots' uniforms march across Red Square, their heads all turned to the right to face the reviewing officers.
Spectators in the shadow of Red Square scramble on to scaffolding to watch the Victory Day parade which some human rights groups condemned as anachronistic
Russian military planes fly over Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow's Kremlin.
Russian MIG-29 and SU-27 fighter jets shoot flares while flying over Red Square
