There will be no tanks, no parade of soldiers and veterans in the heart of Moscow to mark the 75th anniversary of victory in World War Two.
The Red Square 9 May parade has been cancelled because of the pandemic. But in neighbouring Belarus the parade will go ahead, complete with a concert in the centre of the capital Minsk and festive fireworks.
Belarus was devastated during the Nazi occupation and honours the victims on 9 May
Why is it going ahead?
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko appears unfazed by the pandemic. He has not followed the European pattern of imposing sweeping restrictions.
Russia is still under lockdown, and for six days it has recorded more than 10,000 new Covid-19 infections daily.
And yet Mr Lukashenko refuses to cancel his military parade, since it serves a patriotic purpose: to remind people of Soviet-era hardship and sacrifices.
Speaking on the eve of the parade, he said: “They gave their lives so we could live today, that's why we can honour our heroes on this sacred day. We cannot do anything different.”
