Vladimir Putin on Wednesday held a lavish military parade celebrating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany just a day before Russians go to vote on constitutional amendments that would let the Russian president of 20 years stay in power at least until 2036.

The grand parade on Moscow’s Red Square is held annually on 9 May, but the Kremlin had to postpone it this year because of the growing coronavirus epidemic.

Some 14,000 troops marched Wednesday morning across the cobbles of Red Square and past the stands saluting Mr Putin, military veterans and several foreign dignitaries. Military hardware was paraded and intercontinental ballistic missiles rumbled up afterwards.

Mr Putin took to a stage at the start of the parade and declared a moment of silence to commemorate 27 million people that the Soviet Union is estimated to have lost in the war.

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