Russia's Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hosts parade to commemorate 75th anniversary of end of Second World War

The Russian Far Eastern city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hosted a military parade on Thursday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of Second World War.

The Russian Far Eastern city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hosted a military parade on Thursday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of Second World War. As many as 600 servicemen of Russia's 68th Army Corps and other units of security forces marched through the Victory Square of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

"The worst conflict in human history came to an end 75 years ago. For the first time, we are celebrating September 3 as the Day of Military Honour. This is our common victory, which is very important for us. This territory witnessed the last clashes of the Second World War. Southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands were liberated," Governor of the Sakhalin Region, Valery Limarenko, said. After the official ceremony, veterans and officials laid flowers to the Eternal Flame at the Square of Honour. The festive events will end with the concert of the Alexandrov Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army.

In August 1945, the Soviet Union entered the war against Japan and established control over southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. The war came to an end less than a month later with the Instrument of Surrender, signed by the Japanese Empire on board of the USS Missouri battleship.