Photos by AFP and ITAR-TASS.
Looking Backward
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Rehearsing in Moscow ahead of the 2008 parade - The Russian military is gearing up for its May 9 parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. This year's parade will be the biggest show of strength in Red Square since the fall of communism -- and the latest move by the Kremlin to resurrect the military glory of the Soviet era.
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A policeman stands guard in front of a Topol-M - Tanks and weapons, such as the Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile, will be on display for the Russian public, most of whom grew up in the era of extravagant Soviet military exhibitions.
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The 30th anniversary celebration in Red Square in 1975 - Analysts say the Kremlin is deliberately tapping into a growing nostalgia for the Soviet period and the pride Russians once felt in their country's former superpower status -- as well as exploiting their fears of a powerful West.
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New military uniforms on display at the Russian Defense Ministry - President Vladimir Putin and his allies have built on Russians' affectionate view of the past by restoring the Soviet anthem and the red banner as Russia's official military flag. Putin has also personally approved the design of new military uniforms integrating designs from both the communist and imperial eras.
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A Moscow vendor flanked by Soviet-themed memorabilia and T-shirts - Both Russians and foreign tourists are in the market for memorabilia glorifying the symbols of the communist past, like these T-shirts on sale at a Moscow street stall.
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Misha was designed by illustrator Victor Chizhikov - Even Misha the Bear, the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, might ride the wave of Soviet nostalgia. Olympic planners are considering reviving Misha as the symbol of the 2014 Winter Games in the Russian resort of Sochi.