Russia holds air parade over Moscow’s Red Square on Victory Day
15:15, 9 May
Photo: TASS
A parade formation of 75 helicopters and aircraft flew over Moscow’s Red Square to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, TASS reported from the scene.
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Traditionally, the air parade started with the flyover of helicopters over Red Square, including the world’s largest Mi-26 military transport rotorcraft, Mi-8AMTSh multirole gunships, Mi-35M transport/attack helicopters, Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ reconnaissance/strike helicopters and the Mi-28N ‘Night Hunter’ helicopter of Russia’s Berkuts sole helicopter aerobatic team.
The flyover of helicopters was followed by an A-50U long-range radar surveillance aircraft, three Il-76MD military transport planes and a trio of Tu-95MS long-range bombers. After that, four Tu-22M3 bombers led by a Tu-160 strategic aircraft appeared in the skies over Moscow’s Red Square. Following that, an Il-78 aerial refueling tanker flew over Red Square together with a Tu-160 strategic bomber imitating mid-air refueling.
They were followed by a quartet of MiG-29SMT multirole frontline fighters and a quartet of Su-24M frontline bombers.
Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams
After that, four MiG-31K interceptor-fighters carrying Kinzhal air-launched hypersonic missiles appeared in the skies over Moscow together with a wing of four fifth-generation Su-57 multirole fighter jets. Two MiG-31K fighters outfitted with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were the main attraction of the parade’s air component back in 2018. These airborne platforms have been on combat duty in the Russian Army since 2017. A Kinzhal hypersonic missile is capable of flying at over ten times the speed of sound and has an operating range of up to 2,000 km.
After that, "a tactical air wing" of ten aircraft flew over Moscow’s Red Square. The tactical group included Su-34 bombers, Su-30SM and Su-35S fighters.
They were followed by the world’s renowned Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams. The crews of the aerobatic teams flying five Su-30SM and four MiG-29 fighters performed the Cuban Diamond stunt at a speed of about 550 km/h.
The air parade was concluded by six Su-25 attack aircraft. They exhausted special fumes in the colors of the Russian national flag.
The aircraft flew over Moscow’s Red Square at altitudes of 300 meters to 500 meters and at a speed of 500 km/h while the flyover of helicopters took place at an altitude of about 150 meters and at a speed of 200 km/h. Eight aerodromes in the Moscow, Lipetsk, Tver, Ivanovo, Saratov and Kaluga Regions were involved in the flights of aircraft and helicopters.
