PLA Guard of Honor to join Victory Day parade in Moscow

China

PLA Guard of Honor to join Victory Day parade in Moscow

2025-05-07 17:29 Last Updated At：19:27

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) stands ready to participate in the Victory Day military parade scheduled for May 9 on Moscow's Red Square, pledging to deliver a powerful message of remembering history, honoring heroes, cherishing peace and forging the future.

The PLA Guard of Honor squad, comprising 119 officers and soldiers, is in Russia for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), at the invitation of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The team arrived in Russia on April 24 and will remain in the country through May 10, with appearances planned in both Moscow and Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on May 9.

This year marks the third time for the PLA Guard of Honor to take part in Russia's Victory Day parade, following its debut in 2015. The team has come to represent not only military discipline and professionalism, but also China's commitment to peace and historical remembrance on the global stage.

The PLA Guard of Honor officers and men are now engaged in intensive rehearsals for their upcoming performances, and they hope to convey China's enduring message of "remembering history, honoring heroes, cherishing peace and forging the future."

"When I led the team down the streets of Moscow, the roadsides were packed with overseas Chinese and students, and the air was filled with their cheers and shouts," said Liu Chao, a PLA Guard of Honor soldier.

"Marching through the streets of Moscow, our formation joined overseas compatriots in singing Ode to the Motherland, and a deep sense of national pride and honor surged within my heart," said Guo Xingzhong, another soldier.

"People were so close to our formation that I instinctively reached out to cover the gunpoint to shield the crowd from any potential wound," said fellow soldier Liang Hao.

For Cui Hangteng, a color guard, and Wang Zihe, a national flag bearer, they both hold deep symbolic weight in escorting and carrying the Chinese flag in the formation.

"When I saw numerous overseas Chinese holding the national flags, I felt that our faith lies in the national flag. It carries the dreams and hopes of each member of the Chinese nation. The national flag flying high is the warmest source of strength in this mission," Cui said.

"When I held the sacred flag aloft, I was lifting more than just a piece of flag. It was a symbol of strength, honor, and the unyielding backbone of the Chinese nation. Our firm belief is rooted in the great spirit of struggle forged by countless revolutionary martyrs with their blood and lives. This weighty mission fills me with passion and pride," said Wang.

Local residents were also impressed by the sense of discipline demonstrated by the PLA Guard of Honor.

"I saw the PLA Guard of Honor dressed in uniform on the Red Square today. Their discipline and presence made me feel the strength of the Chinese military," said Maria Nikolayevna Mastelova, a Moscow resident.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Wednesday to begin a four-day state visit to Russia and attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine pledges to repair Druzhba pipeline with EU support

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pledged to repair the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude oil to Central Europe via Ukraine, within about one and a half months, with support from the European Union (EU), according to a letter sent to EU leaders on Tuesday.

The Druzhba pipeline, also known as the Friendship Pipeline, has been out of operation since the end of January due to an attack.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa confirmed the commitment in a joint statement issued the same day.

According to the statement, Ukraine welcomes and accepts technical support and funding from EU, so as to repair the pipeline and restore the flow of oil to Hungary and Slovakia.

Oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary were suspended following an attack on January 27, Ukrainian officials said, blaming Russia for the pipeline damage. Slovakia later declared an oil emergency and claimed that Ukraine was deliberately halting oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.

One Monday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the Slovak government can't accept the Ukrainian president's unilateral and harmful move to halt oil transit.

Fico emphasized that the EU must not prioritize Ukraine's interests over those of EU-member states such as Slovakia or Hungary.

Slovakia expects the EU to pressure Ukraine to resume the oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline, said Fico.

Also on Monday, Hungary and Slovakia signed an agreement to build a new pipeline to transport gasoline and diesel between the two countries.

In a video posted on Facebook, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said he had signed an agreement earlier in the day with Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova to construct the pipeline linking the oil refineries in Bratislava, Slovakia's capital, and Szazhalombatta in central Hungary.

According to Szijjarto, the pipeline will be 127 km long and capable of transporting up to 1.5 million tons of oil products annually, including diesel and gasoline.

He said the project would strengthen Hungary's energy supply, particularly diesel supplies, and help improve regional energy security.

The pipeline is expected to be completed in the first half of next year and will allow direct transportation of refined oil products between the two refineries, the minister added.