DUSHANBE, May 10, 2016, Asia-Plus – A Week of Memory dedicated to the 71st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 started in Dushanbe on May 6.
On May 7, the Committee on Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs held requiem for internationalist soldiers from Tajikistan who died in Afghanistan. The requiem was 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. Alexander Mironenko served with the 103rd Guards Airborne Division.
The contest of soldier’s military and patriotic songs took place in Ystod Roudaki Park Saturday evening.
Besides, a series of meetings with veterans of war and home front veterans took place in Dushanbe.
On May 8, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon congratulated the people of Tajikistan on the Great Victory Day.
On the occasion of Victory Day, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon laid a wreath at the Military Glory Memorial in Dushanbe’s Victory Park on May 9, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
After him, representatives of the government and the parliament, Tajik power-wielding structures and diplomatic corps as well as the Russian military base in Tajikistan laid wreaths at the Military Glory Memorial in Dushanbe’s Victory Park.
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.
