Twenty-seven teams from 10 countries are taking part this year, including from Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Zimbabwe.

Moscow

The 17th International Military Music Festival is taking place at Moscow's Red Square, featuring 27 military bands from 10 countries. Notable participants include Ethiopia's National Defence Force marching band, Burkina Faso's Presidential Orchestra, and Zimbabwe's Armed Forces Orchestra, with the latter two making their festival debut.

This year's festival is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in the Eastern Front of World War II, also known as the Great Patriotic War. The event will run until the end of August and includes bands from countries such as Belarus, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and the United Arab Emirates.

World military bands unite at Moscow’s Spasskaya tower festival

The clock on the Kremlin's Spasskir tower overlooking Red Square in Moscow. Every year, the cobblestones in front of it are home to the International Military Music Festival, whose 17th edition got underway on Friday. 27 teams from 10 countries are taking part this year, including Ethiopia's National Defence Force marching band. Taking part for the first time is Burkina Faso's Presidential Orchestra and Zimbabwe's Armed Forces Orchestra has also sent a team. Other countries taking part include Belarus, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates. The Midrash has warned Ukraine the festival this year is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of victory in what Moscow calls the Great Patriotic War. Otherwise known as the Eastern Front War of World War II, it was fought mainly between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The festival runs until the 31st of August.

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Breakdown