The Russians Love a Big Military Parade (VIDEO)
Throughout Russia this week, large military parades with lots of interesting hardware were showcased as the country celebrated the anniversary of victory in World War II.
The 74th annual parade, held on May 8, commemorates the end of WWII in Europe in 1945. Across the world’s largest country on Wednesday were held no less than 30 large events with the biggest show taking place in Moscow’s Red Square.
The Kremlin Regiment, also called the Presidential Regiment, carried vintage SKS’s for the parade (Photos: Russian Ministry of Defense)
Note the blonde stocks and tightly cinched white leather sling with “dog collar” closure around the pistol grip
I mean you have to love a good Russian SKS. Psst, this one is for sale. (Photo: Guns.com)
Other vintage gear included a WWII Dnepr M-72 motorcycle with a sidecar armed with a DP-28 light machine gun
Don’t forget the obligatory T-34 tank. Russia recently traded the government of Laos for a whole battalion’s worth of these relics the Southeast Asian country had in storage
There was also some newer equipment on hand
Such as this 2S19 Msta 152mm self-propelled howitzer
And these giant pickles
Speaking of newer hardware, these Russian Naval Infantry (marines) brought their AK74Ms
As did these Guards Airborne guys with the funny wife beaters
How about that finish?
Several updated Kalashnikov models such as the AK-12, AK-15 and AK-200 series were on hand, carried by special operations units
Like these guys
The Russian Ministry of Defense last month signed a contract to deliver 150,000 AK-12 and AK-15s over the next three years. Kalashnikov Concern noted that this week’s event marked the platform’s first appearance at the annual parade.
Members of the Zhukovsky-Gagarin Air Force Academy (blue) along with the missile troops of the A.F. Mozhaysky Military-Space Academy (green)
Away from the glitter of Red Square, more standard SKS-45s, with the traditional 1950s dark birch stocks, were sighted.
Like these carried by naval cadets in St. Petersburg
Or by these guys in Rostov
Or this guy in Novorossiysk
Meanwhile, one of the neatest smaller events was held in Kola Bay near Murmansk in the Russian Arctic. There a recreation of the Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive of 1944 was staged complete with not only a T-34 and DP-28-armed bike but also all sorts of other vintage hardware to include Mosins and PPSh SMGs.
The Naval Infantry’s more old-school look.
In all, the Russian military had 57,000 troops, 1,500 vehicles and 139 aircraft on parade duty this week.
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