Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected the maritime part of the parade in the water of the Sevastopol bay.
Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected the maritime 
part of the parade in the water of the Sevastopol bay.
Putin, accompanied by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Black Sea Commander Admiral Alexander Bitko, has toured in a powerboat the line of battle ships participating in the parade.The Russian president has welcomed and congratulated students of the Krusenstern barque, which came to Sevastopol specifically to participate in the parade, with the 69th anniversary of the Victory.
Putin is participating in the ceremonial events in Sevastopol dedicated to the 69th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and 70th anniversary of freeing Sevastopol from German fascist invaders, Interfax reports.
President Putin arrives in Sevastopol, Crimea, for V-Day celebrations
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Sevastopol, Crimea, on Friday on a surprise visit to attend ceremonies commemorating the 69th anniversary of the Soviet Union's Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 70th anniversary of Sevastopol's liberation from Nazi German invaders. This is Putin's first visit to Crimea since the peninsula officially joined Russia after the late March Crimean-wide referendum on its status.
President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Sevastopol to join the festivities marking the 69th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Sevastopol.
Putin will address the parade on Grafskaya Pier, lay flowers at the memorial for the heroic defenders of Sevastopol, meet with WWII veterans and watch a concert.
The naval and aviation parts of the parade will begin later in the day.
Over 1,000 servicemen, 70 warplanes and helicopters, and more than ten warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet will participate in the parade in Sevastopolskaya Harbor.
The flyover of the Strizhi (MiG-24) and Russian Knights (Su-27) aerobatics groups will be the most spectacular event in the air display.
The first Victory Day parade was held in Sevastopol on May 9 1965 after Sevastopol was awarded the title of hero city.
It was subsequently held in anniversary years and, starting in 2000, annually with the participation of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the Ukrainian Navy.
Combat vehicles were displayed in the parade for the first time in 2013.
This year's parade is the first one to be held following Crimea's and Sevastopol's integration with Russia. The parade will proceed under the command of Maj. Gen. Alexander Ostrikov, the chief of the Black Sea Fleet's Coastguard, and it will be inspected by Black Sea Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Alexander Vitko. Crimea's festive events will be held in Sevastopol, Kerch and Simferopol.
Sevastopol holds most spectacular V-Day Parade in last 23 years
Almost a thousand servicemen, Air Force planes and military vehicles took part in the Victory Parade in the center of Sevastopol. The Russian Defense Ministry has announced in an official statement that 69 combat aircraft, including the Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams, 38 pieces of military hardware and over 1,000 servicemen will take part in a military parade in Sevastopol. Black Sea Fleet ships also participate in the naval parade.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said: "This year, Crimea and Sevastopol will celebrate the 69th anniversary of liberation from Nazi occupants. In this context, the Defense Ministry has prepared an intensive celebratory program. Military parades will be held in Sevastopol and Kerch. In addition, a naval parade of Black Sea Fleet ships and a flyover of 70 Air Force aircraft will take place in Sevastopol."
The parade was opened by a drummers unit of the naval school of the Navy followed by a battalion of the Pavel Nakhimov Black Sea Higher Naval School, officers of the Black Sea Fleet, and servicemen of the brigade of anti-submarine ships, the Defense Ministry of Russia informs.
"Crews of amphibious ships, boat sailors, servicemen of the military naval aviation and air defense units of the Black Sea Fleet and marines take part in the parade. Russian life-guards participated in the parade in Sevastopol for the first time," the report says.
The parade has also shown over 60 units of military equipment. Residents of Sevastopol will see Podnos mortars and portable anti-aircraft complexes Igla, mobile anti-aircraft missile complexes Osa, and coastal missile complexes Bastion, the Defense Ministry reports.
The parade was run by Chief of the coastal armies of the Black Sea Fleet, Major-General, Alexander Ostrikov; he makes a detour of battalions in the main street of the city. Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Alexander Vitko, reviewed the troops.
The parade ended with a festive march of veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
In the afternoon, a large-scale air and sea part of the parade will begin. About 150 thousand people came to Sevastopol from different regions of Russia to watch the parade.
