The Republican Council of Veterans of War and Labor of Tajikistan says only 168 Tajik veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 are estimated to be still alive.

“Over the past year, their number has decreased by 74 people,” Alisher Sharipov, the deputy head of the Republican Council of Veterans of War and Labor of Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

“Currently, 24 Tajik veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 live in Dushanbe, 46 in the Sughd province, 62 in the Khatlon province, to in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and 34 in districts subordinate to the center,” said Alisher Sharipov.  “The youngest of them is 96-year-old and the oldest one is 108-year-old.”    

More than 270,000 residents of Tajikistan reportedly 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.