The year’s final infantry and cavalry guard mounting ceremony has taken place in the Kremlin, drawing hundreds of Muscovites and tourists. The spectacular show is held in the centre of the Russian capital every Saturday from April to November.
It may be a military ceremony but it's also entertainment. It's just about 20 minutes long, but this precisely choreographed ceremony takes months of training. At midday the Presidential Regiment’s Guard appears in Cathedral Square to demonstrate what's become the ultimate Russian military precision ceremony. It’s a perfectly polished drill with march music by the Presidential Orchestra, and, of course, Russia's best horses at the heart of the show. Mounting guard by the Presidential Regiment’s Infantry and Cavalry was revived two years ago, as a reminder of the Russian military traditions of the past centuries. The modern ceremony mixes Russian military traditions from various eras. The uniform is similar to that used in Russia during the Napoleonic war in 1812. The Presidential Regiment performs at various military parades, including the recent Kremlin Zorya international festival.