The Russian capital is celebrating its 864th birthday. The solemn celebration ceremony began at noon with the chimes of the Kremlin tower clock. For the first time in the last two decades, a dramatized show took place in Red Square in the presence of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, city mayor Sergei Sobyanin and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Before the show, city authorities laid flowers on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the statue of Marshal Georgy Zhukov.

Over 6,000 war veterans, leaders of the country and its capital, representatives of public and youth organizations  and religious confessions were among spectators on the stands specially established in the main square of the country on the occasion of the Moscow City Day. The show was divided into five parts in which famous symphony orchestras, dance groups, Bolshoi Theatre soloists and Todes Ballet dancers showed their skills. The show was meant to combine the history, the present day and the future of the Russian capital. Congratulating Muscovites, Dmitry Medvedev stressed the city’s historical role and assured its residents that their opinions on the development of the city will be taken into consideration:

“Today’s Moscow is one of the most beautiful and influential cities of the world. We have started to implement such initiatives as building an International Financial Centre and also an administrative centre on the city’s new territory. Undoubtedly, this is a historic task. Both these centres are meant to make Moscow a comfortable, well-planned and competitive city.”