The only high-ranking guests of the parade in Moscow from Europe were Serbian leaders
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik were the only high-ranking guests at the Victory Parade in Moscow representing countries outside the CIS and post-Soviet space.
The remaining presidents represented Abkhazia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and South Ossetia.
Presidents at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Milorad Dodik and Aleksandar Vucic
More than 75 thousand military personnel, over 14 pieces of military equipment, 200 airplanes and helicopters took part in the Military Parade to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
By the way, the costs of holding the parade (including receiving foreign guests, weather protection, organizing performances by artists, etc.) exceeded 1 billion rubles. However, these costs should more than outweigh contracts for the supply of Russian weapons.
It should be noted that the 75 Serbian guards who marched across Red Square also became the only military contingent of a European country outside the post-Soviet space.
(The parade also included military personnel from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
As members of the Serbian Guard marched past the VIP podium, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic greeted them with his hand over his heart, showing that he was proud of his countrymen who had the honor of taking part in such an honorable event.
The Serbian press also noted that in order to parade across Red Square, guards from Serbia rehearsed for 45 days. The honor of carrying the Serbian flag went to Major Nenad Ščelović. The host of the event also noted that the Serbs became the first people in Europe to rebel against the Nazi occupiers.
Among the honored guests of the event was also the famous Serbian film director, actor and musician Emir Kusturica, personally invited by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The day before, together with Milorad Dodik, they walked around the center of Moscow.
“In 1941, over 80 percent of the armed forces of Germany and its satellites were concentrated against the USSR. But this ruthless armada turned out to be powerless before the unity of Soviet citizens...
We honor the brave fighters of the armed forces of all states of the anti-Hitler coalition, the feat of all fighters against Nazism who fearlessly acted in European countries...
We will do everything in our power to ensure that the memory of your heroic achievements never fades. This is a duty of our conscience and our responsibility to the present and the future,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the veterans.
The only high-ranking guests from Europe at the Moscow parade were Serbian leaders.