The1990 October Revolution Parade was the last parade commemorating the 1917October Revolution during theSoviet Union's existence. It celebrated the 73rd anniversary of the revolution.
Among those present wereMikhail Gorbachev,Nikolai Ryzhkov,Anatoly Lukyanov,Boris Yeltsin (first president of the Russian Federation), andGavriil Popov.[1] At the chimes of theKremlin Clock, Gorbachev gave an address to the nation. It would be the second and last time a Soviet leader made an address onLenin's Mausoleum during anOctober Revolution Day parade. It is the only Soviet parade when the inspection of troops are held after the President's speech and anthem, in contrast to the previous parades which the inspection of troops begin, followed by speech by the parade inspector and anthem, besides one of the few parades when theemblems of the Soviet Republics are not in display on theRed Square other than the 1990 Victory Day Parade, most possibly due to independence ofLithuania andLatvia (includingEstonia although independence yet to be declared, but had changed its emblem, flag and official name to Republic of Estonia). After the anthem was played, the commander of the parade Colonel GeneralNikolai Kalinin reported to the parade inspectorMarshal of the Soviet UnionDmitry Yazov. The parade of 1990 was the last military parade to feature military equipment, a sight that would not be seen until the2008 Moscow Victory Day Parade 18 years later.[2][3][4][5] Providing the music for the parade was the Massed Bands of theMoscow Military District, led by the director of theMilitary Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, Major GeneralNikolai Mikhailov. It is also the only parade when the Soviet leadership on the grandstand moved down from the grandstand to lead the civilian demonstration after the military parade.[6]
At the front of the parade was the limousine carrying the commander of the parade, Colonel General Nikolai Kalinin.
Massed Bands
Ground Column
Mobile Column
Providing the ceremonial music for the parade was the massed bands of the Moscow Military District, under the overall direction of Major GeneralNikolay Mikhaylov.
Revolution Day parades and celebrations were also held in many Soviet republics and cities of theRussian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. For the first time in Soviet history, the traditional 7 November parade inKyiv, the capital city of theUkrainian SSR, was the only event held on the holiday, with the parade location in Kyiv was changed fromKhreshchatyk Street toVictory Square (Ploshcha Peremohy) by order of theKyiv City Council.[9][10] It was also limited to a one-hour parade from 9 to 10 am. No full-size tanks were displayed at the parade.[9] The parade was also the last one held in many republics, including theTajik SSR[11][12][13] and theUzbek SSR.
On the other hand, the Revolution Day parade in theLithuanian capital ofVilnius, was held contrary to parliamentary decree banning military parades "without a permit". The parade onGediminas Avenue,[14] which began at 10 am local time and had been rehearsed for over a week, marched past theLithuanian Parliament to the Lenin Monument, where several thousand a rally of pro-Soviet demonstrators was held, with many demonstrators being bused in from outside ofLithuania.Chairman of the Supreme CouncilVytautas Landsbergis andPrime MinisterKazimira Prunskienė both condemned the military parade as "psychological warfare" and an attempt by the Soviet authorities to "intimidate" breakaway republic.[15] A similar situation occurred in the Latvian capital ofRiga, where on 10 October theSupreme Council and the Riga City Executive Committee had announced that Gorbachev's decree on organizing military parades in local cities was not binding in Latvia.[16]
Alexander Shmonov Александр Шмонов | |
|---|---|
| Born | Aleksandr Anatolevich Shmonov (1952-02-21)February 21, 1952 (age 73) |
| Nationality | Soviet |
| Occupation | Locksmith |
| Details | |
| Date | November 7, 1990 c. 11:00 a.m. |
| Locations | Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Targets | Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet Leadership |
| Killed | 0 |
| Injured | 0 |
At 11:00 AM, an hour after the parade began, an attempt to kill President Gorbachev was made by Alexander Shmonov.[17] The two bullets he fired missed and he was tackled to the ground by crowds of demonstrators. Shmonov was the last would-be-assassin of the Soviet period before the USSR's dissolution in 1991. He was sent to forced treatment which took a heavy toll on his mental state.[when?] Three weeks prior to the parade, Shmonov bought a double-barreled hunting rifle. At the parade, Shmonov took out his rifle and was spotted immediately by themilitsiya, and as he was taking aim, an officer ran over and jerked the rifle by the barrel as the crowd jumped on him. Soviet Central television did not broadcast the assassination attempt and resumed its regular broadcasting at 11:25 AM.[nb 1]