Putin honors fallen Russian soldiers

MOSCOW, May 8 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin honored the sacrifice of fallen soldiers Tuesday as he took part in a ceremony at Moscow's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The ceremony in the Aleksandrovsky Garden was to recognize those killed in World War II and Putin was on hand to lay a decorative spruce wreath near the memorial's Eternal Flame, Itar-Tass reported.

As Putin spoke with several veterans, after adjusting the wreath's ribbon, a collection of honorary military forces marched nearby.

The president then laid flowers at tombs for fallen soldiers along the Kremlin wall. Once the ceremony concluded, the Russian anthem was played by the presidential band.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Sergei Mironov of the Russian Parliament added red carnations to the presidential wreath.