MOSCOW, May 9: Russia on Monday marked World War Two victory with Red Square pageantry in front of world leaders, trumpeting its huge wartime role but masking tensions in post-war ties with its neighbours. World leaders, including US President George Bush and China’s Hu Jintao, then shifted into high diplomacy, holding a series of informal meetings that touched on issues such as terrorism, North Korea and the Middle East.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stood shoulder to shoulder with Mr Bush as troops and war veterans marched and drove across the cobbled Red Square, once the scene of Cold War displays of Soviet military might, to the strains of martial music. For Mr Putin the ceremony was a rare high point after a period marked by faltering ties with Washington and ex-Soviet allies.

“Grief came to every home, every family,” he said, declaring that the world owed “great human thanks” to the nearly 27 million Soviet citizens who died.

Russian security forces sealed off the Kremlin area and Red Square to celebrating Muscovites for fear of a repeat of the Chechen attacks that have marked past May 9 celebrations.

World leaders — with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi representing the vanquished nations — laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the foot of the towering Kremlin walls.—Reuters