According to data from the Council of Veterans of War and Labor of the Republic of Tajikistan, only 59 veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 are estimated to be still alive in Tajikistan, while last year, 94 veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 celebrated Victory Day in Tajikistan.

Of those 59 veterans, the oldest is Rashid Karimov from Hisor City; he will be 110 years old on May 9.

Rashid Karimov was born back in the Hisor Bekigari, the Emirate of Bukhara on May 9, 1912. 

He went to the war in 1942 and ended the war in Czechoslovakia on May 9, 1945.

Rashid Karimov has over 30 combat awards  

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.

64 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.