Celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in Moscow and the regions. What is known

Preparations for the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War are in full swing in Moscow and the regions of Russia: the military parade on Red Square will be the central event on May 9, 2026, while in a number of cities, for security reasons, it was decided to abandon mass street processions and fireworks in favor of online formats and chamber events.. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

How to celebrate Victory Day in Moscow

On May 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., the country's main military parade will begin on Red Square. The walking column will include regiments, battalions, Suvorov, Nakhimov, cadets, yunarmeyts, female servicemen, Cossacks, as well as participants in a special military operation. The mechanized column will traditionally be opened by the legendary T-34 tank, followed by modern equipment.

Access to the stands of Red Square is possible only by special invitations for veterans, their relatives, military personnel and distinguished guests. The dress rehearsal of the parade is scheduled for May 7. The live broadcast of the march will be shown by Channel One, Rossiya 1 and Zvezda, as well as large screens in Victory Park on Poklonnaya Gora and in the districts of the capital.

A fireworks display is expected in Moscow on the evening of May 9 at 22:00. In previous years, fireworks were launched from ten locations, including Poklonnaya Gora, VDNKh, Luzhnetskaya Embankment, Izmailovsky Park, Kuzminki, Mitino and Zelenograd. The duration of the show is about ten minutes.

The capital's museums and theaters have prepared an extensive program. From April 15 to May 15, the State Historical Museum hosts the exhibition "Letters of the Fiery Years. Family Archive" with authentic front triangles. On May 7, the Victory Waltz will be held at the Victory Museum, and on May 9, the exhibitions "Feat of the People" and "Battle for Moscow" will open for visitors.

On May 9, 10 and 11, the opera "War and Peace" will be shown at the Bolshoi Theater by the Mariinsky Theater. The play "The Banner of Victory" will be presented at the Russian Army Theater on May 9 at 17:00. The Russian National Orchestra will perform works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and songs of the war years at the Zaryadye Concert Hall.

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All-Russian actions on Victory Day

An official decision on the format of the Immortal Regiment campaign in Moscow for 2026 has not yet been received. As in 2025, the regions independently determine the method of holding: in some cities, the march will be held in person, in others it will be replaced by online broadcasts or the Wall of Memory project.

Alternative participation formats are available to everyone. You can place a portrait of a veteran on an avatar in social networks, put an image on clothes or on the back window of a car. It is recommended to produce a banner for the procession in A4 or A3 format, the cost of printing in printing houses starts from 450 rubles.

The St. George Ribbon patriotic campaign will start across the country in April 2026. Volunteers will distribute black and orange ribbons at parks, metro stations and museums. In 2025, more than 10 thousand symbols of memory were presented in Moscow alone, and the campaign lasted from April 24 to May 9.

How to celebrate Victory Day in St. Petersburg

On May 9, at 10:00 a.m. in the Northern Capital, a parade of troops of the Western Military District with the participation of military equipment will be held on Palace Square. After the parade, from 12:00, the march of the "Immortal Regiment" will begin along Nevsky Prospekt: the column will gather at the Moscow railway Station and proceed to the Palace Square.

During the day, festive concerts will unfold on the Palace Square, in the 300th Anniversary Park and on Krestovsky Island. The highlight will be a fireworks display at 22:00 from the Peter and Paul Fortress beach: 30 volleys will be visible from the Arrow of Vasilyevsky Island and the embankments of the Neva.

Torches will traditionally be lit on the Rostral Columns at 09:00 and 19:00. In the morning, wreath-laying ceremonies will be held at Piskarevskoye Cemetery and at the Siege Clock on Nevsky Prospekt.

How to celebrate Victory Day in Novosibirsk

In Novosibirsk, on May 9, 2026, the celebration will begin with commemorative actions in the city center. The main events will focus on Lenin Square, where the Novosibirsk garrison troops will parade, at the Monument of Glory and on Mikhailovskaya Embankment.

After the parade, a column of the "Immortal Regiment" will form, which will pass along Krasny Prospekt. During the day, concerts with the participation of a brass band, a field kitchen and thematic exhibitions are organized for the townspeople at the Mayakovsky KKK.

In the evening, a light campaign "Rays of Victory" is planned, followed by a festive fireworks display and an artillery salute, previously at 22:00. Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater (NOVAT), which opened on May 12, 1945, will present a large concert program dedicated to the anniversary of the Victory.

How to celebrate Victory Day in Kazan

It is planned to allocate 64.8 million rubles from the city budget for the organization of celebrations in Kazan, which is 19.6 million more than a year earlier. The main venue will be Millennium Square, where stages, stands, lighting and sound equipment will be installed.

At 09:45, the event will open with a theatrical prologue with the participation of 2,000 artists. Then there will be a parade of troops of the Kazan garrison with the participation of 2,000 military personnel, cadets and yunarmeyts. Mechanized military vehicles will pass through the square.

From 10:00 to 19:00, folk festivals will be held in Victory Park: the Heirs of Victory festival and the performance of children's brass bands will be organized there. In the evening, guests will enjoy a two-hour concert with a show ballet, and the celebration will end with a fireworks display in the waters of the Kazanka River, previously at 22:00.

At the end of April, the retro train "Victory Locomotive" will visit the cities of Tatarstan. At the head of the train is the Lebedyanka steam locomotive, designed in the style of May 1945. Wartime exhibits and carriages of the Immortal Regiment are located on 11 platforms.

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How to celebrate Victory Day in Vladivostok

In Vladivostok, on May 9, at 10:00 a.m., a parade of troops and military equipment will begin on Svetlanskaya Street. Then the international parade "Great-Grandchildren of Victory" will take place, in which students of the first grades of schools in Primorsky Krai and representatives of foreign countries will march. In 2025, the project won the Znanie Award. The award."

In the afternoon, festive venues will be held in different parts of the city. The Primorsky stage of the Mariinsky Theater will present the chamber program "Songs of the War Years" — the story of one night of a partisan detachment around a campfire. The Pacific Symphony Orchestra will perform "Katyusha", "Dark Night", "Darkie" and "Victory Day" at the Primorsky Regional Philharmonic.

Fireworks in Vladivostok are scheduled for 22:00. Fireworks are traditionally launched from the central square (Okeansky Prospekt, 1), Cape Bobrova and the village of Foothye on Russian Island.

How to celebrate Victory Day in Krasnodar

In Krasnodar, the celebration on May 9 will be held without the traditional parade and fireworks. For security reasons, large-scale street events have been canceled, and the main events are organized online or in the form of camera actions at memorials.

In the morning, flowers will be laid at the Eternal Flame on Severnaya Street and at other military graves. The Musical Theater will host themed concerts. The Immortal Regiment campaign has been converted to an online format everywhere.

On April 13, 2026, a gala concert "Our Faith is Our Victory" will be held in the Central Concert Hall of Krasnodar. The songs of the war years will be performed by soloists of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theaters, as well as the Rostov Academic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stanislav Kalinin and Alexei Pugachev.