Sobyanin presented badges "85 years of the Battle for Moscow"

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin visited the Grave of the Unknown Soldier on the eve of Victory Day. The head of the capital also presented commemorative badges "85 years of the Battle for Moscow" to three Muscovites who participated in the Great Patriotic War.

The head of the capital took part in the traditional laying of a wreath at the memorial on the eve of May 9. "For each of us, this day is a day of personal destinies, an example of courage and loyalty to our country," Sobyanin wrote on his channel in the Maks messenger.

On the same day, the mayor of the capital presented commemorative badges "85 years of the Battle for Moscow" to veterans Ekaterina Evdokimova, Semyon Lyulko and Vladimir Fomin. "They marched along front—line roads from Moscow "to the very enemy gates" to liberate their Homeland from the Nazis and win a Great Victory," Sobyanin stressed, adding that today they are 305 years old together.

Ekaterina Evdokimova went to the front at the age of 18. As a communications officer, she guided aircraft to air and ground targets in the combat area of the Moscow air defense system, and ended the war in Poland, the head of the capital said. Semyon Lyulko took part in the defense of Moscow from the first months of the war, marched through Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia, liberated Vienna and Prague, where he met Victory. Vladimir Fomin was a member of the Moscow People's Militia, participated in the Rzhev-Vyazma operation, liberated Belarus and Poland, and reached Berlin.

On Saturday, May 9, Russia will celebrate the 81st anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. The military parade on Red Square in Moscow will traditionally be the central event. More than 200 cultural venues of the capital have prepared events for Victory Day. Those who wish can attend concerts, performances, excursions, exhibitions, lectures, film screenings and much more.