Russians March to Celebrate Victory in World War II

MOSCOW— -- Russia marked the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War today, with huge crowds shrugging off signs of international isolation, and revelling in a sudden sense of profound national unity as the country turned inwards to celebrate one of its most important holidays.

In the weeks leading up to the parade, the Victory Day event had become marred in controversy, as Western leaders shunned it over Russia's interventions in Ukraine. With its economy under Western sanctions and its bombers buzzing European airspaces, the annual military parade had looked to become an exercise in Russian sabre-rattling.

Russian President Vladimir Putin did oversee an especially large military parade, as 15,000 troops and hundreds of armored vehicles rolled through central Moscow, but by the afternoon attention had shifted as hundreds of thousands took to the streets in an unprecedented march to remember family members who helped defeat the Nazis.

Some 300,000 Russians participated in the march, flooding through the main streets of Moscow carrying pictures of relatives who had fought in the conflict that killed 27 million Soviet citizens. Putin led the column, carrying a portrait of his own father. The atmosphere was festive, with people singing as they walked.

This is most likely the last major anniversary of the war when Russian veterans will be alive to mark it and the event appeared to gain special significance for many because of this. Despite a strong nationalist presentation on state television, the march was remarkable for the absence of aggressive nationalism that has characterized so many recent public events organized by the authorities.

Around the edges of the popular enthusiasm, however, strong political overtones remained. The Kremlin has been heavily promoting the anniversary -- the Soviet Union's victory in the war has become an increasingly important element in the heady nationalism being fostered under Putin.

Throughout the Ukraine crisis, the Kremlin has also portrayed the conflict there as led by neo-Nazis from western Ukraine, against whom ethnic Russians must be protected. The orange-and-black ribbons that are the symbols of the World War II victory have become the identifying marks of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. It's a narrative that most Russians believe.

Authorities have also led an enthusiastic campaign to curb what it sees as insufficient respect towards the holiday. On Friday, police raided an art gallery hosting an exhibit giving an alternative vision of the war. Two weeks ago, three women were briefly jailed for twerking in front of a war memorial.

The buoyant atmosphere on the streets today at times also quickly ran over into a defensive attitude towards the United States. On Red Square, where some of Russia's most advanced weapons were displayed, Putin used the occasion to warn against the risks of a "uni-polar world," a veiled jibe at the U.S., although he did also take time to say Russia was grateful for the contributions of the U.S. and other allies to defeating Nazism.

Putin's digs at the U.S. were echoed on the streets, where many people accused the U.S. of trying to provoke Russia and expressed resentment over sanctions.

"I feel wonderful today, because finally we have said loud and clear to the American leadership: Stop screwing around," said one ex-commander, wearing full uniform.

Still, as people wondered the boulevards, wearing Soviet army caps and singing wartime tunes, most seemed to have largely forgotten their country's current geo-political troubles, lost in nostalgia and enjoying the sunshine, ensured by flights of planes that had earlier chemically dispersed the clouds.

During the march, when one man began loudly criticizing Obama, several people in the crowd shook their heads frustratedly and told a reporter to ignore him.