Remembering the glory of History and paying tribute to the unsung heroes: A Documentary of the Victory Day Parade in Irkutsk

The wind of the Angara River caresses Kirov Square, and the morning light shines on the Monument of the Great Patriotic War. On May 9th, Irkutsk witnessed a solemn moment marking the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War. Governor Kobuzev, Mayor Borotov, and Consul General of China in Irkutsk Liu Yu, among other guests, stood solemnly to watch the ceremony, laid wreaths at the eternal fire, and the orange and black stripes of the "George Ribbon" fluttered among the crowd in the square.

In the morning, the military parade officially began. Unlike previous years, this year's ground parade was composed only of foot formations: the cadets from the Irkutsk Higher Military Aviation Engineering Institute stood tall and straight, and the soldiers of the combat troops marched with resounding steps. They passed the review stand one by one to the rhythm of the "Victory Festival", and the sound of their boots hitting the ground interwoves with the "ula" cheers of the onlookers. The authorities stated that the downsizing is aimed at reducing security risks and allowing necessary equipment and personnel to focus on current tasks. 

After the military parade came to an end, the square turned into a river of memories. The "Immortal Legion" parade set off in a grand manner. Thousands of citizens, holding the portraits of their ancestors who participated in the Great Patriotic War, marched silently along the streets. From the old man with white hair to the child, everyone is saying in their own way, "No one will be forgotten, nothing will be forgotten." At this moment, the weight of history and the cherishing of peace are tightly embraced in this city by the shore of Lake Baikal.