DUSHANBE, May 6, 2016, Asia-Plus – A Week of Memory dedicated to the 71st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 has started in Dushanbe.
The event runs through May 8 and the Committee on Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs will hold requiem for internationalist soldiers from Tajikistan who died in Afghanistan. The requiem will be held at the Monument to Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Mironenko
Alexander Mironenko (October 20, 1959 – February 29, 1980) was a Soviet airborne senior sergeant and posthumous Hero of the Soviet Union. Mironenko was posthumously awarded the title for reportedly killing at least 12 mujahideen and then blowing himself up with a grenade when approached by mujahideen after running out of ammunition. Mironenko served with the 103rd Guards Airborne Division.
The contest of soldier’s military and patriotic songs will take place in Ytod Roudaki Park tomorrow evening.
Besides, a series of meetings with veterans of war and home front veterans will take place in Dushanbe.
Meanwhile, no official events are scheduled on Dushanbe for May 9, Victory Day.
633 veterans of war and about 2,000 home front veterans now live in Tajikistan.
More than 300,000 residents of Tajikistan took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and 92,000 of them died in battle. 54 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 United Kingdom, Soviet Union, 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 was 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.
