Vietnamese soldiers will join Moscow’s Red Square parade on May 9. Photo by TTXVN.
Almost 70 cadets from Vietnam’s Army Officer College 1 will represent the Vietnam People's Army at the grand military parade in Red Square, Moscow in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day on May 9, commemorating the Soviet Red Army's triumph over fascist forces in World War II (May 9, 1945-May 9, 2025).
General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Deputy Minister of Defence visits the soldiers selected for the parade on April 18. Photo by TTXVN.
Major General Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Vice Rector of the Army Officer College 1, stated that in accordance with the directive from the Minister of Defence regarding preparations for the anniversary parade, they have actively assembled and rigorously trained their marching unit over the past several weeks.
According to Major General Thanh, the delegation travelling to Russia will comprise 80 members, including 73 soldiers in the marching unit, 68 official participants and 5 alternates. The group will also include senior officers, drill instructors, a medical officer, an interpreter, and security personnel.
The soldiers selected for the parade are aged between 19 and 30 and all stand at least 1.8 metres tall. They are officers, instructors, and cadets with well-balanced physiques and high standards in military bearing and precision. The delegation is scheduled to depart for Russia on April 23.
Photo by TTXVN.
Leading the marching formation is Lieutenant Tran Xuan Bach, a lecturer at the Department of Physical Training at the Army Officer College 1. He noted that the unit began rehearsals on March 22, with an intensive training schedule of nine hours per day, 4.5 hours in the morning, 2.5 in the afternoon, and 2 in the evening, all conducted in Hanoi.
“We’ve been training every single day, without rest. One of the main challenges is adapting to the faster marching cadence used in Russia. While Vietnam’s military parades are typically set to music with a tempo of 104 to 106 steps per minute, Russian parades are marched at 120 to 125 steps per minute,” Lieutenant Bach explained.
Photo by TTXVN.
Despite the limited training time left before departure, Lieutenant Bach said that the entire unit is highly motivated to improve their performance and meet all technical requirements.
“I am truly honoured that the party, the state, and the army have entrusted me with the responsibility of leading this parade unit. We are training with seriousness and discipline, and are determined to excel in this mission,” he said.
Sergeant Nguyen Huu Quan, one of the selected cadets, shared that the training has been closely supervised by the general staff and school leadership, who have provided detailed guidance and regular inspections.
“This marks the first time that Vietnam has sent a military delegation to participate in a foreign parade, so we all understand that this is not just a personal duty, it’s a national responsibility and a rare privilege. We feel immense pride and are wholly committed to representing the Vietnam People’s Army with excellence on the international stage,” Quan stated.