As leaders and veterans gathered in Moscow celebrating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, victors and victims of the war were commemorated and war memories revived Monday in other parts of the world.

In Moscow, the center of the world's Victory Day commemorations, thousands of soldiers and war veterans paraded across Red Square as leaders of 50 states joined celebrations marking the victory over the Nazis 60 years ago.

In a keynote speech at the start of the parade, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated participants in the military parade and praised all those who fought for the victory and freedom and independence of other nations.

"I bow low before all veterans of the Great Patriotic War," he said, describing Victory Day as "a day of victory of good over evil, freedom over tyranny."

A host of world leaders, including Chinese President Hu Jintao, US President George W. Bush and French President Jacques Chirac, joined Putin and war veterans near the Lenin Mausoleum for the military parade.

Following the parade, Putin and other world leaders laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the periphery of Red Square.

The UN General Assembly on Monday held a special session to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe and honor the soldiers and victims of the war.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette said that as the world looks back to honor the dead and pay respects to the heroes, it was equally important to look ahead and "reaffirm our commitment to the goal of building a world fit for humankind."

General Assembly President Jean Ping used the occasion to call on nations to settle differences through peaceful means.

Ambassadors from Russia and China, together with many other speakers, urged the strengthening of the United Nations to keep it in the center of the collective security system.

In London, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh attended celebrations to mark the liberation of the country's Channel Islands from Nazi occupation 60 years ago.

The royal couple met World War II veterans, including islanders who lived through the German occupation during the war. They also attended a Liberation Day service before unveiling a commemorative stone.

Poles held a variety of activities marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, during which some 6 million Poles were killed, half of them Poland's Jews, and the country lost an estimated 40 percent of its national wealth.

Foreign diplomats and city officials laid wreaths at the cemetery of Red Army officers and men killed while driving the Nazis from the Polish capital in January 1945.

In Ukraine, President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Parliament Speaker Vladimir Litvin laid wreaths at the monument of the unknown soldier, before heading for the city center to join veterans in a march commemorating the end of the war.

About 3,000 war veterans marched down the main street in the capital, with wartime songs played and enthusiastic spectators cheering and waving national flags and flowers along the road.

Czech Senate Chairman Premysl Sobotka awarded commemorative silver medals to representatives of war veterans at a popular celebration on Monday in Prague.

"The figures characterizing World War II are well-known, but one can never measure and statistically enumerate human suffering, fear and desperation experienced by the people from the occupied countries. Like other European countries, Czechoslovakia was on the verge of its demise," Sobotka said.

Czech and US military musicians contributed Monday to the victory over the Nazis and liberation of Czechoslovakia with a concert in Prague's Rudolfinum concert hall, featuring symbolic works by Czech and Russian classical music composers.

Commemorations were also staged in Serbia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Mongolia and Albania for the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.