| This is the parade in Moscow's Red Square, devoted to the 69th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, 7 November, 1986. The year 1986 was notable in that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster occured on 26 April, it would be the most disasterous nuclear meltdown in world history. On the positive side of 1986 however, it would see the launch of the first module of the Mir space station. The year would also mark the beginning for the voice of change throughout the USSR. During the 27th CPSU Congress of 1986, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev spoke of the need for "acceleration" and "restructuring" for the Soviet economic and political situation (the former of which was seriously beginning to stall, as it had been in a state of stagnation since around 1974). Gorbachev's plans for major reforms for Soviet society however, while discussed in 1986, would not crystalize until the following year. Cold War tensions between the USSR and the USA began to finally ease during this year, with the prospect for a real thaw in East-West looking very promising throughout 1986. First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, General of The Army, Pyotr Lushev (he was also the previous commander of the Moscow Military District from November, 1980 through July, 1985 before being promoted to Commander in Chief of Soviet Forces in Germany), and Commander of the Moscow Military District, Colonel General, Vladimir Arkhipov, inspect the participating troops this year. Music ... |