In Irkutsk, solemn events were held for the 71st anniversary of the Great Victory. Residents honored the fallen at the Eternal Flame of Glory, and the Immortal Regiment marched through the central streets on such a scale for the first time, with more than 40 thousand people.

In the regional center, solemn events were held to mark the 71st anniversary of the Great Victory. More than 40,000 Irkutsk residents took part in the “Immortal Regiment” march. The celebration will conclude with fireworks at 10:00 p.m. on the Lower Embankment.
Together with the city residents, representatives of the regional and city authorities honored the memory of those who fell in the battles of the Great Patriotic War near the “Eternal Flame of Glory” monument.
As part of the solemn rally, a garland was laid at the memorial and at the monument to twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Afanasy Beloborodov.
- 71 years have passed since that bright May day when the last volleys of the war fell silent. But this sacred holiday is forever inscribed in the heroic chronicle of our country as a symbol of courage, resilience, military glory, and valor. We bow our heads before the feat of those who defended the freedom and independence of our Motherland, who fought at the front and worked in the rear. Siberians are rightfully proud of their contribution to Victory! More than 200,000 of our fellow countrymen fought bravely and fearlessly on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War: near Moscow and Stalingrad, on the Don and the Volga, and liberated Ukraine, Belarus, and all of Eastern Europe from the fascists. Every resident of the Irkutsk Region also worked selflessly in the rear under the slogan “Everything for the front! Everything for Victory!” Dear veterans! You defended our right to life. And today it is our duty to surround you with attention and care, and to pass on the memory of the great Victory to future generations, - Governor Sergey Levchenko said, addressing the veterans, guests, and residents of the city.
Then servicemen, police officers, rescuers, representatives of various other agencies and organizations marched in a ceremonial parade across the central square before the veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
At the end of the ceremonial procession, the “Immortal Regiment” column, consisting of more than 40,000 participants, took to the streets of Irkutsk.
Citizens carried portraits of loved ones - those who saved the Motherland from the fascists at the cost of their own lives, their letters from the front, military orders, and death notices.
According to the regional government, the head of the region, Sergey Levchenko, took part in the event. He walked in the “Immortal Regiment” column with portraits of his relatives.
It should be noted that the “Immortal Regiment” has been marching ceremonially through the streets of Irkutsk for the third time already. In 2014, there were about three thousand participants in the event.
Last year, more than 21,000 residents of Irkutsk and guests of the city came out with portraits of their relatives and loved ones to mark the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.
The celebration will conclude at 10:00 p.m. with a colorful fireworks display on the Lower Embankment. Public transport service in the regional center has been extended until midnight today.