Russia stages military parade to celebrate Victory Day

"It is a holiday when an overwhelming force of patriotism triumphs, when all of us feel particularly acutely what it means to be loyal to the Motherland and how important it is to defend its interests," Putin said.

Other than Moscow, parades will be held in eight other Russian cities -- Sevastopol, Kerch, St. Petersburg, Smolensk, Murmansk, Tula, Novorossiysk and Volgograd.

Victory Day is celebrated each year in Russia May 9 to mark the victory in 1945 over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian term for World War II.