Moscow, May 9 (RHC-PL) -- Cuban President Raul Castro on Saturday honored the memory of the Soviet citizens who died during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), at an official ceremony in the Russian capital.

Raúl Castro arrived in Moscow on May 5th at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to attend the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory over fascism.

The Cuban president, along with other heads of foreign states, attended the placing of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame, at the foot of the walls of the Kremlin on Saturday morning.

Leaders from nearly 30 countries and heads of international organizations posed for a group photograph. The Cuban president sat at one of the spots in the stands earmarked for high-level guests during the military parade in Red Square, the most important event of the victory celebrations, following the defeat of Nazi Germany on May 9, 1945.

In this his third visit to Russia as president (previously in 2009 and 2012), Raul Castro was received by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and yesterday held talks with President Putin in the Kremlin, an opportunity that also served as a working meeting between the two government delegations.

At the end of the military parade, foreign leaders and heads of official delegations attended a reception of President of Russia in the Grand Kremlin Palace.

For the first time, the military parade in Red Square followed the parade of members of The Immortal Regiment, a patriotic initiative to perpetuate the memory of all those who contributed in one way or another to victory.

Hundreds of activists, relatives and descendants carried photographs of known and anonymous heroes. The Immortal Regiment's march was approved by Putin recently in a special decree.