Chinese President Xi Jinping stood next to Vladimir Putin in Moscow as thousands of Russia troops and military vehicles participated in the Victory Day parade.

Vladimir Putin chatted easily with China's Xi Jinping as a pro-Kremlin US actor sat nearby watching tanks and missiles roll across the cobblestones of Red Square.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken center stage at Russia’s Victory Day parade on Friday, surrounding himself by friendly world leaders in a highly choreographed show designed to show the Western world that Russia is far from isolated.