Thousands of people in Moscow hold mass procession on Victory Day

Thousands of people have assembled for an annual procession through Moscow holding portraits of their family members who fought Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II as Russia celebrates Victory Day on Monday.

The Immortal Regiment'' is a massive civil march held on Victory Day in which people carry portraits of those who have participated in the war.

The procession will pass through Red Square in downtown Moscow.

The event was held online in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid 19 restrictions.

The Great Patriotic War, which began for the USSR on June 22, 1941, is often called the Red Army's fight against Hitler's forces. May 9 is one of the most revered public holidays in Russia.

The Immortal Regiment'' began in 2012 as a grassroots movement in the Siberian city of Tomsk. The idea was quickly picked up by other cities. On Victory Day, the processions are held across Russia and in many places abroad, where Russian-speaking expats participate alongside locals.