Despite
uncharacteristically cold and rainy conditions for this time of year,
Russia’s annual Victory Day military parade proceeded through central
Moscow as planned. But one critical feature of the parade, the air force
flyover, has been cancelled.
“Due
to adverse weather conditions in the Moscow region,” the
Defence Ministry press office was quoted by TASS as saying on May 9,
“the participation of the air force in the Victory Day parade has been
cancelled.”
The
annual parade has featured nuclear missiles driven through the streets
of Moscow since 2008. It is Russia’s largest public event. May 9 marks
72 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union’s defeat of
fascism is Russia’s most revered historical moment.
Today's
cloud cover is unusual for Victory Day. Each year, the government
attempts to control the weather and ensure clear skies by seeding clouds
with concrete particles. Those efforts, apparently, failed. The
government reportedly allocated 98 million rubles ($1.67 million) to the
effort this year.
The Moscow Times - May 10, 2017
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