Russia prepares for Victory Day. 29 leaders to attend

Twenty-nine world leaders are expected to attend the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II scheduled for Friday in Moscow, the Kremlin said Tuesday, according to Reuters. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is among the invited guests.

Anniversary events will take place from May 8 to 11, and the traditional annual military parade will pass through Moscow's Red Square on May 9, celebrated in Russia as Victory Day.

Yuri Ushakov, an adviser to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, said that in addition to Russian soldiers, military vehicles and various types of weapons, the parade would also feature military units from 13 countries, including China.

Several American World War II veterans are also expected to attend the event. It is not yet known whether US officials will attend, although the Kremlin has sent an invitation to the US ambassador to Russia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry released a statement on Tuesday calling on other countries to duly honor the victims of World War II and refrain from sending troops to the Moscow parade.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico are the only European leaders to have announced their participation in the Victory Day parade, media reports said, drawing sharp criticism from the European Union. In Vucic's case, Brussels issued a warning, saying the Serbian president's visit to Moscow violates EU membership criteria and could potentially harm Serbia's accession process. (PAP)

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