Fireworks in honor of Victory Day were held in St. Petersburg

The celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in St. Petersburg on Saturday, May 9, ended with fireworks.

Volleys at the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress over the Neva River were fired to the song "Victory Day". Thousands of residents and guests of the city gathered on the embankments to honor the feat of the war heroes.

Only two fireworks batteries consisting of twelve 85-mm D-44 guns and 10 fireworks installations of the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy fired 30 volleys accompanied by fireworks.

According to a long-standing tradition, each of the volleys is personalized. The first was dedicated to the 81st anniversary of the Great Victory, the second - in honor of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Russia, the third — in honor of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The fourth salvo was fired in honor of the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and the fifth was fired in honor of the hero city of Leningrad.

The parade: the celebrations in Moscow showed the connection between the heroes of Victory and the participants of their

Putin congratulated the Russians on May 9th and told them what inspires his fighters.

A minute of silence was held across Russia on May 9 at 18:55 Moscow time in memory of the fallen during the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a minute of silence during the celebrations. In addition, he laid flowers at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden of Moscow. He was also joined by foreign guests.