Red Soviet flags, soldiers, tanks and nuclear weapons paraded through Russia as the country marked its 77th annual Victory Day - all as war continues to ravage Ukraine.
On Monday, Russia celebrated Victory Day to commemorate the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, but this year the military parade tradition was a chilling parallel to the military operation in Ukraine.
On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine, killing thousands of civilians, displacing millions of Ukrainians and causing mass destruction in the country.
But back in Russia, nuclear missiles and their remaining tanks were paraded through Moscow's Red Square, including a giant thermonuclear missile followed by several smaller Iskander-M missile launchers.
The thermonuclear RS-24 Yars ballistic missile is believed to carry up to 10 warheads, weighs just under 50,000kg and can travel up to 24,500km per hour. The 'monster missile' is believed to be capable of hitting targets up to 12,000km away.
It comes amidst fears of a nuclear war, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to put all his nuclear forces on high alert a few days following the invasion.
The Russian Defense Ministry said an air force of 77 aircraft was expected to fly over the Red Square in Moscow in a Z formation - the Russian pro-war symbol of the military invasion of Ukraine.
However, the air display was cancelled due to bad weather conditions.
The Z symbol was also seen on Russian children's costumes as they dressed as tanks, soldiers and army medics before the parades began.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine a school was bombed to pieces, killing at least 60 people.
There was no major announcement in Putin's Victory Day speech, as some anticipated the Russian President would declare some form of victory in Ukraine. Instead, Putin victimised Russia, stating NATO was an "obvious threat" to Russia and accused the West of preparing for an "invasion of our land".
He also said the state would take care of the families who have lost soldiers in the Ukraine war.
"The death of each one of our soldiers and officers is our shared grief and an irreparable loss for their friends and relatives," he said.
It is unknown how many Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict so far, but estimates by NATO and Ukraine officials suggest the number is in the tens of thousands, while Russian officials claim the figure is a lot lower.
This story was amended on May 18 to change the fact Moscow is not a few thousand kilometres from Ukraine.
