Russian President Dmitry Medvedev laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall on Wednesday, when the country celebrates the Defenders of the Fatherland Day.
The ceremony also involved Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and WWII veterans.
Over 4,000 police officers are ensuring law and order in the Russian capital, a Moscow police spokesman said on Wednesday.
Lots of ordinary people and officials laid wreaths in other former Soviet Union's countries such as Moldova and Armenia.
Established as Red Army Day in 1922, the Defenders of the Fatherland holiday was called Soviet Army and Navy Day from 1949 to 1993.
It was renamed Defenders of the Fatherland Day in 1995 and has been a public holiday since 2002.
MOSCOW, February 23 (RIA Novosti)
