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With historic costumes and vintage tanks, Russia reenacts World War II parade

4,000 troops take part in annual event, marking 78th anniversary of march toward encroaching Nazi troops

By Agencies 7 November 2019, 1:17 pm

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Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)
Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)
Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. ( Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Russian troops clad in World War II-era uniforms marched across Moscow’s Red Square in a reconstruction of a wartime parade.

The November 7, 1941, parade has become a symbol of Soviet valor and tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds.

Thursday’s re-enactment featured about 4,000 troops, vintage tanks and other vehicles.

The Nazis forces approached Moscow in early October 1941 as the Red Army suffered a series of devastating defeats after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. They came as close as 30 kilometers (less than 19 miles) to the city in some areas.

The Soviet command managed to bring fresh troops from the country’s east and launch a counteroffensive that marked the first major Nazi defeat since the start of World War II.

Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War Two. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Russian soldiers dressed in Red Army World War II winter uniforms wait to take a part in a reconstruction of a World War II-era parade in Moscow’s Red Square, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. The parade marks the 78th anniversary of a World War II historic parade in Red Square and honored the participants in the Nov. 7, 1941 parade who headed directly to the front lines to defend Moscow from the Nazi forces. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. ( Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

A Russian serviceman dressed in historical uniforms takes part in the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Russian servicemen dressed in historical uniforms march during the military parade at Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 2019, as part of the ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the 1941 historical parade, when Red Army soldiers marched past the Kremlin walls towards the front line to fight Nazi Germany troops during World War II. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

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