Ten heads of state and around 200 war veterans gathered in the foyer of the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre.
Initially it planned for this meeting to be held in the traditional venue for meetings with veterans of the Great Patriotic War – in the square in front of the Bolshoi Theatre. But because of the rain, the meeting was moved inside.
Veterans, most of whom are over 80 years old, came to the Bolshoi Theatre in military uniform and parade costumes, in decorations and medals.
CIS leaders shook the veterans by the hand, and tried to give each one their attention, congratulating them, wishing them good wealth and having their photograph taken with them.
Some veterans came to Moscow from CIS countries along with Presidents. One of these veterans was introduced by Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmonov to Vladimir Putin.
Then veterans and heads of the state went to watch the concert dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Victory, “Songs of the war years”.