Moscow finalizes preparations for grand Victory Day parade

Preparations for Friday's Victory Day military parade in Moscow, marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, were finalized on Wednesday, setting the stage for the grand commemoration.

A rehearsal for the military parade took place at Red Square on Wednesday, drawing crowds who watched the display while reflecting on the wartime sacrifices of their grandparents and great-grandparents.

"Among those who were at war was my grandmother, who was a teenager at the time. She talked about the hunger and the need to help not only younger siblings and children but also her older relatives," said Sabina Yakhina, a resident.

Military personnel from 13 countries will march through Moscow during the parade, with China contributing the largest foreign contingent -- over 100 soldiers -- among all participating countries.

The parade, expected to draw millions of television viewers worldwide, will undoubtedly stir powerful emotions. The enduring significance of this victory remains profound, particularly in today's context where certain countries seek to distort its historical meaning.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday published a signed article titled "Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future" in the Russian Gazette newspaper ahead of his arrival in Russia for a state visit and attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

"It's a moment of excitement and responsibility. The article is interesting, profound, and reminds us all that we must fight not only fascism, Nazism, and hegemony. And it is clearly stated in Xi's article that we must not give up," said Pavel Negoitsa, general director of the Russian Gazette newspaper.

"We see how the world is shaking, how the past is being reviewed, and history rewritten. But both the leader of China and our president advocate for equality among countries," said Vladislav Fronin, editor-in-chief of the Russian Gazette newspaper.

Now, Moscow stands poised to commemorate this historic occasion, with up to 10 million participants anticipated to join the celebrations in the Russian capital.

Moscow finalizes preparations for grand Victory Day parade

Nicaragua's co-foreign minister Valdrack Jaentschke has warned that militarism must never be allowed to rise again, as Japan's recent moves to lift its arms export ban and revise the pacifist Constitution continue to draw international concern.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, where Japan's Class-A war criminals from World War II were brought to justice.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Valdrack Jaentschke voiced his concern that today's world order is being undermined by interventionism and other challenges.

"It is necessary for us to remember that after the end of World War II, countries worked hard to build a new international order based on international law. However, regrettably, more than 80 years later, we are seeing that this once explored and attempted order is being challenged by interventionism, a confrontational mindset, and tendencies like 'might makes right.' These are precisely the conditions that gave rise to fascism and militarism in the past, which ultimately led to the tragedy of World War II," he said.

He said the international community has a responsibility to pursue a new international order -- one fundamentally grounded in peace.

"Looking back at the history more than eight decades ago and comparing it with today's reality, it is our responsibility to recognize that the world should, and must, build a new international order that is more just, fairer, rooted in international law, based on a logic of mutual benefit and shared success, and fundamentally grounded in peace," said the minister.

"Today, as we revisit the Tokyo Trials, it is meant to remind the world that such a tragedy must never be repeated -- and that we must do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again. We must stop that dark world -- born from militarism, interventionism, and fascism -- from ever returning," he said.

Nicaraguan FM warns of militarism revival