60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Ukraine

This was a large military parade held on Maidan Nezalezhnosti with the participation of the Kyiv Garrison of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as the Internal Troops of Ukraine. It was held in the same format as the annual Kyiv Independence Day Parade, including the traditional flag raising ceremony to the tune of Shche ne vmerla Ukraina. Inspecting the parade was the Defense Minister General of the Army Oleksandr Kuzmuk and General of the Army Ivan Herasymov, a war veteran. It was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Nikolai Petruk. The historical marchpast saw the Ukrainian-made T-34 tank roll on the street, with columns of troops dressed the stylized uniforms of Red Army infantrymen, tankmen, artillerymen, pilots, and sailors passing along Khreshchatyk. The standards of the four Ukrainian as well as the 1st Byelorussian Fronts also were carried along the central street of Kyiv.[8] Veterans of the Soviet offensive (many of which were Heroes of the Soviet Union, Hero of Socialist Labor, and recipients of the Order of Glory) rolled thorugh the square in an open-top UAZs, after which they were seated on chairs under the rostrum, where other high-ranking guests stood. A combined band led by Yuri Kirichenko from Sumy consisting of 30 Ukrainian military bands with a total of 1,000 people stood in front of the main rostrum. Being that a total of 5,000 people participated in the parade, this meant that every fifth participant was a musician. After the parade had passed along Khreshchatyk, a concert lasting 40 minutes took place, with the combined band performing military melodies such as Katyusha, Siny Platochek, and The Sacred War.[9]

On October 27, the President of Ukraine together with presidents of Belarus, Russia and Azerbaijan laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the memorial complex of the Park of Eternal Glory in Kyiv.[10] The heads of state participated in a festive event at the Palace "Ukraine". A visit to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War was also arranged.[11]

The Victory Banner was brought to Kyiv from Moscow via train to take part in the parade. From the airport, the Victory Banner was transported to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. On the evening of October 28, the banner was handed over to representatives of the Russian delegation, who returned it to the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow.