Russia holds final rehearsal for V-Day parade

MOSCOW -- Russia held the final rehearsal on Saturday for this year's Victory Day military parade to mark the 77th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Around 11,000 people, 131 types of weapons and military equipment as well as 77 airplanes and helicopters took part in the dress rehearsal, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Moscow had held two nighttime rehearsals on April 28 and Wednesday for this year's parade.

In total, military parades will be held in 28 Russian cities this year, involving almost 65,000 people, about 2,400 types of weapons and military equipment as well as more than 460 aircraft, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

Russia holds military parades on May 9 every year to commemorate the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany.