Belarus Celebrates Liberation Day: Russian and Belarusian Militaries March Together in Parade
Today Belarus celebrates Independence Day. It was on July 3rd that Minsk was liberated from the fascist invaders. Vladimir Putin sent his compliments to President Lukashenko. In his message, the President of Russia noted that fraternal friendship and mutual assistance hardened during WWII continue to serve as a foundation for further development of Russian-Belarusian ties. Today the militaries of the two countries got together again at the Minsk parade.
Evgeny Reshetnyov is reporting.
At the Kursk Airfield of Russia's Western Military District SU-34 tactical bombers and SU-30SM fighters set off for Minsk, which is in just a 30-minute flight. The aerobatics team hits the skies of the Belarusian capital. Two SU-34 tactical bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Commander-in-chief Alexander Lukashenko, wearing a dress uniform, is standing at the pulpit, rendering a salute.
Alexander Lukashenko: "Belarusians didn't give in to the fascist occupants, and, together with other fraternal peoples, won the worst and bloodiest war of the 20th century.”
Belarus is proud to present its new military developments, or more than 200 wheeled and tracked military vehicles. The Polonez multiple launch rocket system is the crown jewel of the national defense industry. 4,000 elite servicemen march in lockstep. The militaries from friendly nations have been invited to Minsk as well. A unit of the Chinese honor guard and Russian paratroopers also take part in the parade.
Belarus is the only post-Soviet state that doesn't link its Independence Day with the collapse of the USSR. It was on July 3rd, 1944, that Belarus was liberated from the German invasion. In the mid-1990s a referendum was held to decide whether to celebrate the Independence Day on July 3.
Evgeny Reshetnyov, Alexander Alexandronis, Margarita Kurilova, Oleg Peletskiy for Vesti from Minsk, Belarus.