African leaders join Putin for Russia's Victory Day parade

African leaders are among 27 world leaders who attended Russia's Victory Day commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War two.

Moscow hosted a massive military parade on Friday on Red Square and other ceremonies after Britain, France and the US held similar ceremonies on Thursday.

African leaders in attendance included Burkina Faso’s Transitional President Ibrahim Traore, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Guinea Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Others were Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa and Congo Brazziville’s Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Slovakan Prime Minister Robert Fico also attended.

The foreign leaders looked on as various weapons, including new tanks and Russian-made drones were driven across the vast square.

President Putin said that Russia will always appreciate the contribution to the victory of resistance fighters and Allied armies.

Putin and other foreign leaders laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden by the Kremlin walls.

What is Victory Day?

Victory Day, which celebrates the surrender of Nazi Germany that ended World War II, is Russia's most important secular holiday.

The Soviet Union lost more than 20 million civilians in WWII. These included Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Central Asians and other peoples from the Soviet Union.

While most Western countries celebrate the anniversary on May 8, Russia celebrates it on May 9.