Russia marks Victory Day with military parade in Moscow

This year's May 9 parade marks the 74th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Not only is the day celebrated as a major holiday, Russia also uses the parade as an opportunity to put its military on display and show off its arsenal.

A Russian Yars RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile system rolls through Red Square. Over 130 pieces of military hardware were also displayed.

Over 13,000 troops were involved in the parade in Moscow's Red Square, Russian news agency TASS reported.

Victory Day parades only became an annual event after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Parades and celebrations took place in towns and cities across Russia, from the European exclave of Kaliningrad to the Far Eastern Sakhalin island, near Japan.

The hours-long parade marches along a route that passes a tribune where Russian President Vladimir Putin sits along with other Russian generals, officials and guests.

In his speech to the soldiers and veterans at Red Square, Putin pledged to work to strengthen Russian military might. "The lessons of the past war are relevant once again. We have done and will do all that is necessary to guarantee the high capabilities of our armed forces," he said.

One section of the parade saw thousands of people carrying portraits of relatives who fought in World War II as soldiers with the Russian army. The "Immortal Regiment" marches began around seven years ago, according to the Moscow Times, with similar marches taking place in cities around the world.

Russia also uses the parade to show off dozens of its tanks, missile launchers, other military vehicles and weapons. This year, a new Kalashnikov assault rifle — called the AK-12 — will also be on display.