Russian World War II veterans gather to watch a reenactment of a World War II parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. Russian soldiers in period uniforms marched across Red Square to re-enact a World War II parade. The parade marks MOSCOW (AP) — Russian soldiers in period uniforms have marched across Red Square to re-enact a famous World War II parade.

Red Army soldiers marched on Moscow's Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, and headed straight to the front line dozens of kilometers (miles) away to fend off the Nazi onslaught on the city.

Nov. 7 for decades was a national holiday celebrating the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution that ushered in more than 70 years of Soviet rule.

Saturday's parade featured soldiers clad in World War II uniforms brandishing red banners and carrying World War II-era weapons. It reflected Kremlin efforts to draw attention away from the revolution in favor of Russia's wartime triumphs.

Former President Vladimir Putin abolished the Nov. 7 holiday four years ago.