Vietnam to send military personnel to Russia's Victory Day parade

These officers, selected from the Army Officer Training School No. 1, will be joined by five reserve counterparts, along with leadership, training instructors, medical staff, interpreters, and security officers, bringing the total number to 80 members.

The delegation is scheduled to depart for Moscow on April 23, according to the Vietnam News Agency, citing a recent directive from the Ministry of National Defense.

Major General Nguyen Van Thanh, deputy rector of the school, stated that the institution has been actively organizing and training the selected personnel to enhance their drill movements, coordination, and overall performance.

The selected officers – comprising cadres, lecturers, and students – are between 19 and 30 years old, all standing at least 1.8 meters tall.

They began intensive training on March 22, following a strict daily schedule: 4.5 hours in the morning, 2.5 hours in the afternoon, and two hours in the evening.

Lieutenant Tran Xuan Bach, a lecturer in the school’s Sports Department, noted that one of the main challenges is adapting to Russia’s faster marching pace – 120 to 125 steps per minute, compared to Vietnam’s 104 to 106. Wearing heavy ceremonial gaiters may also cause blisters and ankle pain for some members.

Despite these difficulties, many soldiers have volunteered for extra training hours to improve their performance.

In a related development, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and Russia are coordinating preparations for a visit to Russia by Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam, who is expected to attend the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.