Memory of Russia: Events celebrating 70th anniversary of November 7th 1941 Parade in the Red Square in Moscow

November 7 2011 will see the 70th anniversary of the Red Army Parade which took place in the Red Square in 1941, when the Nazi troops came dangerously close to Moscow. The historians equate the parade of November 7 1941 with the crucial military operations, which had an impact on the course of events of the Great Patriotic War.

On this occasion every year the Red Square holds processions which attract representatives of the Children’s Movement of Moscow, cadets, Moscow garrison servicemen. This year the number of participants will total 5.5 thousand people. Spectators of the procession will become veterans of the Great Patriotic War, including those who on November 7th 1941 marched across the Red Square. “Unfortunately today only 67 veterans – participants of that parade live in Moscow, - said the Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of Moscow Alexander V. Chistyakov. – “And half of them will drive across the Red Square, and will be saluted by the participants of the procession and spectators in the stands”.

Alexander Chistyakov stresses that this year the grand action will welcome new elements. For example, about 40 pieces of rare hardware will move across the Red Square, including – Т-37 and Т- 60 tanks produced in 1937 and 1939. “On the whole, to my mind, this year’s event will be very colorful”, Alexander Chistyakov mentioned. – “We have never reproduced all the elements of that historic parade, but this year we will do it without a doubt. There will involve a historical group with horse-drawn machine gun platforms (Russian: Tachanka), servicemen in uniforms with weapons of 1941. I believe that this is not just a spectacular event, but it is vital for the reasons of patriotic upbringing”. Veterans will be driven in front of spectators and participants of the grand procession on rare old UAZ (Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant) cars: Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant too, being of the same age as the parade, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.