Russia’s Victory Day parade begins, marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany

MOSCOW (AP) - A military parade began Friday on Red Square in Moscow as Russia marked the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

President Vladimir Putin and a host of foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attended the parade.

Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, is the country's most important secular holiday. A massive parade through Red Square and other ceremonies underline Moscow's efforts to project its power and cement the alliances it has forged while seeking a counterbalance to the West amid the 3-year-old war in Ukraine.

Festivities this year were overshadowed by reports of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow and severe disruptions at the capital's airports, as well as cellphone internet outages on Wednesday.