Three veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 from Tajikistan have been invited to participate in celebrations that will take place in Moscow on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, including a military parade that will be held on May 9.

“At the invitation of the Russian Government, war veterans Mirzo Begmatov from Kulob, Sharif Ghafourov from Khujand and Nazar Ashourov from Tursunzoda will participate in celebrations dedicated to the 75rd anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 that will take place in Moscow,” Rahmat Qudratov, the head of the Council of Veterans of War and Labor of Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus in an interview.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has also been invited to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow.  While in Moscow, Tajik heads of state will also participate in an informal CIS summit that will take place on May 8.

The 2020 Moscow Victory Day Parade will take place on Moscow's Red Square on May 9, 2020 to commemorate the 75th Diamond Jubilee of the capitulation of Nazi Germany in the Second World War in 1945. The parade will mark the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.  This historic parade dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet and larger Allied victory in the Eastern Front of the Second World War against Nazi Germany and her allies will be held on a special scale, bigger than every other parade before it.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will deliver his seventeenth holiday address to the nation after the parade inspection presided over by Minister of Defense General of the Army Sergey Shoygu, accompanied by the parade commander General of the Army Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, who will be in the parade for the seventh consecutive year.

In addition to troops from the Russian Armed Forces, contingents from 20 foreign countries will also be on parade, groups from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as contingents from China, India, Serbia, France, the United Kingdom, United States, Poland and Mongolia.  Parade groups from Egypt, Israel, and Iran also are planned to be invited.

Recall, more than 270,000 residents of Tajikistan took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and more than 100,000 of them died in battle.

55 of residents of Tajikistan were given the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.  Besides, 15 other Tajikistan’s residents were Full Holders of the Order of Glory.

Victory Day marks the end of World War II in Europe, specifically the capitulation of Nazi forces to the Allies (the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France, the United States and other principal Allied nations) on May 8, 1945.

In Russia and other countries of former Soviet Union, the day of Victory over Nazi Germany is celebrated on May 9, because when the German Instrument of Surrender actually entered into force (May 8, 1945 at 23:01 CET), it was already May 9 by Moscow time.  Post-Soviet countries have continued the tradition.

Today, only 184 Tajik veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 are estimated to be still alive.