Fireworks lit Moscow's night ending Victory Day

Fireworks lit the night sky in Moscow on Wednesday for Victory Day celebrations, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The celebrations are usually held May 9 on Victory Day, Russia's most important secular holiday but were postponed until Wednesday due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Lavish military parades took place in many cities including Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Sevastopol and Volgograd despite the pandemic.

In Moscow, heads of several ex-Soviet nations, and Serbia's president participated in the annual parade.

Russian officials insisted that all necessary precautions were taken to protect the troops and ensure safety of veterans and foreign guests attending the parade.

However, several Russian regions had to cancel celebrations due to a steadily rising toll of coronavirus infections.

To date, 545,458 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 294,306 patients having recovered from the disease.

Russia's latest data indicates 7,284 fatalities nationwide.

This year's Victory celebrations are especially important for Russia's President Vladimir Putin because of the upcoming nationwide vote on constitutional amendments.

The amendments are expected to allow Vladimir Putin to run twice more for president, potentially extending his stay in power beyond 2024, when his current term expires.