"The best crews from the SMF's seven missile divisions armed with Topol systems are being enrolled to participate in the military parade on Red Square," Col. Alexander Vovk said, adding that four launchers [with mock launch tubes] would take part.
Military parades on Red Square involving hardware were regularly held in the U.S.S.R. up to 1990. No military parades were held on Red Square from 1991 to 1994, and the May 9 parade in 1995 saw WWII veterans marching in central Moscow.
Troops resumed their participation in military parades on Red Square in 1996.
The first Victory Parade was held on Red Square on June 24, 1945 on the order of the then-Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Joseph Stalin.
On May 9, 2008, a military parade involving almost 8,000 personnel, 111 sophisticated tracked and wheeled military vehicles, as well as 32 aircraft and helicopters occurred for the first time since 1990. Four Topol launchers also took part in that parade.
