Russia: Final rehearsal for V-Day in St. Petersburg's Palace Square sees tank ban broken again

The final rehearsal for Victory Day in St. Petersburg took place on Palace Square, Thursday, and involved more than 4,000 military personnel and 100 pieces of military hardware. Once again Russian troops broke the tank ban, in place since 1956, when they drove their tanks and other armoured vehicles onto the historic square during the rehearsal. Among the military hardware that rolled through the square were the T-72B3 tank, the Iskander missile complex, and the S-300 air defence systems. The military units taking part in the parade include the Western Military District, the Suvorov Military School and the cadet corps. Palace Square is famous for the Winter Palace, the tall Alexander Column dedicated to the victory of Tsar Alexander I over Napoleon, and the Guards Corps Headquarters.