Hi Kevin!
As a native of former soviet union let me tell you something about the marches/parades -
The workers who are marching/walking are made to do that by their factories, schools, etc...
Before you start defending soviet union while you were only a tourist, you should have had to live there.

And don't forget the loud speakers mounted on street lamps blasting patriotic propoganda and a handful of dictators looking down on the crowd and waving from their pedestals.
And then followed by more corruption and political witch hunts.
I hope you didn't miss that stuff.