In both countries, it was a sight to be seen.

Russia celebrated the 70th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany during World War II in epic style on Saturday, with a massive military parade in Moscow's Red Square.

The national parade during the largest secular holiday in Russia is a chance for the country to display its military might; military vehicles and hoards of soldiers were the centerpiece of the Victory Day celebrations, which are held annually. But the 70th anniversary doesn't come along every year.

The military equipment in the parade ranged from vintage WWII-era vehicles to the new, high-tech, 48-ton T-14 Armata tank.

The video below, which shows the parade and ceremony in its entirety, will give you an idea of the sheer scale of the event.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at the Victory Day celebrations, seen by many in the West as a show of force at a time when tensions with the country are at their highest since the Cold War.

At the event, Putin said the high death toll during WWII highlighted the importance of peace and good international cooperation, but "in the past decades, we have seen attempts to create a unipolar world." The comment was seen as a dig at the U.S. for its dominating role in global affairs.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians also marched in central Moscow on Saturday afternoon, holding up portraits of family members who fought in the war. Putin joined the group in Red Square, holding a portrait of his father, also a veteran.

Leaders from Europe and the West were noticeably absent from the event due to the ongoing international tensions over Russia's role in the Ukrainian conflict. But Russia's improving relationship with China was on full display as Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the parade.

Putin mentioned China during his address, saying the country had also "lost many, many millions of people" during the war, according to a translation from the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, which also remembers Victory Day, the commemoration took on a more somber tone in light of the country's ongoing conflict.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko lays flowers at a monument to WWII victims during the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. Image: Sergei Chuzavkov/Associated Press

In Kiev, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko led a small procession of officials and diplomats to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor those who died during WWII. During an address to the group, Poroshenko made a clear distinction between Ukraine marking the day and Russia's commemoration.

"May 9 will always be a red date in the Ukrainian calendar, just as these red poppies that symbolize the remembrance of the fallen," said Poroshenko. "We will never celebrate this day under the Russian scenario again, because it provides for the cold-blooded use of the Victory Day for an apology to the expansionist policy regarding neighbors aimed at keeping them in the sphere of one's influence and restoration of empire."

He also honored the millions of Ukrainians who fought as part of the Soviet Army during WWII, saying the country should "always honor the feat of arms of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers."

"We bow to all veterans — those present here, in this holy place, those who celebrate in other streets and squares of Ukraine," Poroshenko said.