The military parade
will take place on June 24, according to the Crimean head.
SIMFEROPOL, June 16.
/TASS/. The Crimean authorities have reversed their decision on cancelling the
Victory Parade in Simferopol and the military parade will take place on June
24, Crimea’s Head Sergei Aksyonov wrote on his VKontakte social network account
on Tuesday.
The Crimean head
announced earlier on Tuesday that the military parade devoted to the 75th
anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945
Great Patriotic War scheduled to be held in Simferopol on June 24 would not
take place for safety reasons due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I never change
my decisions but this is an unprecedented situation, which requires … a special
approach," he wrote.
The decision to hold
the Victory Parade in Simferopol on June 24 has been made "after lengthy
consultations, including with the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation
and Rospotrebnadzor [the sanitary watchdog]" and "takes into account
all the circumstances," the Crimean head stressed.
Crimea will take a
set of "unprecedented measures" for ensuring safety during the novel
coronavirus pandemic, Aksyonov said. "Understanding has been reached with
the Defense Ministry of Russia and Commander of the Southern Military District
Alexander Dvornikov who will provide full assistance. I am grateful to
colleagues for such support, thanks to which we will be able to hold the
anticipated Victory Parade in the Crimean capital. We all hoped for this
decision deep in our hearts because this event is sacred for each of us,"
Aksyonov said.
It was earlier
reported that the Victory Parade in Simferopol on June 24 would involve over 70
items of armament and military hardware, including T-72B3 tanks, Grad multiple
launch rocket systems, Khrizantema self-propelled anti-tank missile systems and
also over 1,000 personnel.
Russia postponed its
military parade traditionally held on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 for a later
date due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At a video conference
with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on May 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin
announced that the Victory Parade would be held on Moscow’s Red Square on June
24.
The head of state
explained he had chosen this date because June 24 was the day when in 1945 the
legendary historic parade of victors took place, with soldiers, who fought for
Moscow, defended Leningrad and Stalingrad, liberated Europe and stormed Berlin,
marching on Red Square.
The Russian president
instructed the defense chief to make sure that there weren’t any risks to the
health of the military parade’s participants.
Source: ITAR-TASS
16-06-2020
