Remember those tv pictures of Brezhnev, Gorbachov and the like taking the salute in Red Square years ago? Well, Victory Day in Russia is still a very Big Deal, and what you see above is proof of that. The guys in the photo above have just participated in this year's parade and are heading back to their start point along Tverskaya, one of Moscow's main roads, and are surrounded by flag-waving cheering crowds.
There's a strong possibility that the guys in this tank are conscripts, since Russia still has mandatory national service for men (unless you can 'persuade' the authorities otherwise, which apparently nearly 90% of the population are able to do), and I can't help but feel glad for them that they had this opportunity to get a bit of fun out of what I'm told (by Russians) is one of the most hellish years a man can have in his life...
