Dong Nai (VNA) – In the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, Vietnam’s armed forces gathered on April 16 for a full-scale parade and marching rehearsal at Regiment 935, Division 370 of the Air Defence – Air Force (ADAF) Command, based in the southern province of Dong Nai.
The rehearsal — the second major run-through — was organised by the parade sub-committee for the national celebration, which will be held on April 30.
Present at the rehearsal were General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence; Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the General Staff and head of the parade sub-committee; as well as senior officers from the Ministries of Defence and Public Security and leaders from Dong Nai province.
The rehearsal brought together more than 10,000 participants from across the armed forces, including military personnel, public security forces, and militia units, forming 38 marching blocks - 25 from the People's Army and militia, and 13 from the People's Public Security.
The programme featured a formal ceremonial segment led by the military, followed by a full-scale parade through the designated route. Highlights included a flypast involving 10 helicopters, seven SU-30MK2 fighter jets, and a formation of Yak-130 multi-role training aircraft.
In his remarks following the rehearsal, General Cuong praised the discipline and dedication of all participating personnel despite the intense heat, urging all units to address any remaining shortcomings and fine-tune their performance ahead of the main event.
Earlier this month, more than 3,300 officers and soldiers from military and public security units stationed in the northern and central regions were deployed to Bien Hoa city of Dong Nai to join their counterparts from the south in the intensive training programme for the parade./.

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