On September 3, 2025, Khaborovsk made history by hosting its first-ever grand military parade. This momentous event honored the 80th anniversary of the victory over Imperial Japan and the official conclusion of World War II, a day now annually recognized on September 3rd following a federal law enacted on June 24, 2023.
The celebratory gathering saw the attendance of esteemed guests, including delegations from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states, alongside representatives from the Mongolian Armed Forces. Earlier, Governor Dmitry Demeshin of the Khaborovsk Territory had extended invitations to official representatives from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, underscoring the international significance of the commemoration.
The parade was commanded by Major General Dmitry Gorbatenko, Acting Chief of Staff of the Eastern Military District (EMD). Reviewing the troops was Lieutenant General Mikhail Nosulev, Acting Commander of the EMD forces and a distinguished recipient of three Orders of Courage. Following the traditional inspection of the parade contingents and General Nosulev`s congratulatory speech, the main square witnessed the solemn march of flag groups and parade units, clad in uniforms reminiscent of the 1945 Victory Parade participants from the EMD`s district training center. A particularly symbolic moment was the inaugural participation of a parade contingent from the Mongolian Armed Forces, a powerful emblem of enduring camaraderie.
The ground formations continued with soldiers from the district`s guard brigades, service members from Primorsky Krai and Amur Region, cadets, female military personnel, a combined company comprising participants of the Special Military Operation (SMO), Cossacks, Yunarmeitsy (members of the youth military-patriotic movement), and other cadets. In total, more than 2,700 individuals took part in the parade, representing a diverse array of Russia`s military and patriotic forces.
The mechanized portion of the Khaborovsk garrison parade showcased a remarkable blend of historical and cutting-edge military hardware. Vintage weaponry included the legendary T-34 tanks, the formidable ISU-152 `Zveroboy` self-propelled artillery gun, and the iconic BM-13 `Katyusha` rocket launcher. Modern armaments were prominently featured, such as T-80BVM tanks equipped with advanced anti-drone protection, BMP-2s boasting the `Berezhok` complex, modernized BMP-1AM `Basurmanin` infantry fighting vehicles, and the latest BTR-82AM armored personnel carriers.
The display further included D-1 towed howitzers, D-44 and ZIS-3 anti-tank guns, the state-of-the-art `Tornado-S` multiple launch rocket system, digital radio stations integrated into Kamaz trucks, `Moskva` electronic warfare systems, BMK-460 tugboats, and the `Uran-6` robotic demining complex. The column concluded with TDA-3 smoke-generating machines and KDA aerosol disinfection complexes, both equipped with sophisticated remote detection capabilities for radioactive and toxic substances.
Tactical buggies named `Yerofey`, which are manufactured in the Khaborovsk Territory and have been supplied to the SMO zone for three consecutive years, also participated in the parade, alongside Desertcross 1000 all-terrain vehicles. A dual-link tracked snow-and-swamp vehicle `Aleut` traversed the square, followed by a procession of 20 vintage cars from the Khaborovsk `Avtoretro-100` club, which marked its 27th participation in the event. To honor the jubilee, the mechanized column notably incorporated specially modified vehicles featuring historical reconstructions of the Far Eastern Victory. In total, 100 units of both contemporary and historical equipment paraded through Khaborovsk`s central square.
The anniversary parade, which lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes—a full half-hour longer than typical parades—culminated in a spectacular performance by the honor guard company of the EMD headquarters, demonstrating precision drills with SKS semi-automatic carbines. Spectators were further delighted by musical performances from the choir of the EMD Song and Dance Ensemble, the celebrated Far Eastern collective “Harmony” Children`s Creativity Center Song Theater, and the consolidated orchestra of the Khaborovsk garrison, expertly led by Colonel Vadim Pakhomov, Chief of the Military-Orchestral Service of the District.
