What is Victory Day in Russia? When is it celebrated? What happens? Why does it matter?
Russia's Victory Day celebrations on Monday, 9 May are set to take on greater significance than normal amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
But which victory does it toast? What happens on the day? How do Moscow and the West view it? And how has the parade evolved over the years?
The day celebrates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
It includes military parades in Moscow and more than two dozen Russian cities. It will involve nearly 65,000 people, 2,400 types of weapons and military equipment and more than 460 planes, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Ukraine's intelligence service has claimed Russia is also planning a victory parade in Mariupol, Ukraine, which has been besieged by Russian troops.
After months of nightly rehearsals, where military vehicles keep Moscovites awake until the early hours, the parade kicks off at 10:00 am.
Then 14,000 troops, hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft pass through (or over) Moscow's Red Square, where they are normally inspected by the Russian leader, senior army figures and foreign leaders.
Several speeches by Vladimir Putin about WWII -- or the Great Patriotic War as it is called in Russia -- follow.
A fly-past over St Basil's Cathedral will include supersonic fighters, Tu-160 strategic bombers and, for the first time since 2010, the Il-80 "doomsday" command plane, which would carry Russia's top brass in the event of a nuclear war, Russia's defence ministry said.
Eight Mig-29 fighter jets are expected to fly over forming the letter Z -- a symbol of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
On the ground, Russia will be displaying its nuclear-capable hardware, including the Yars intercontinental nuclear missiles and Iskander short-range
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