A 99-year-old war veteran Haidar Halimov from Tajikistan has traveled to St. Petersburg to participate in Victory Parade that will take place in Palace Square (Dvortsovaya Ploshchad) on May 9.
Haidar Halimov has dozens of war decorations, including the II Class Order of Glory and the Order of the Red Star
The Order of Glory was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on November 8, 1943. It was awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Red Army as well as to aviation junior lieutenants, for bravery in the face of the enemy.
The Order of the Red Star was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 6, 1930 but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 5, 1930. That statute was amended by decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 7, 1936, of June 19, 1943, of February 26, 1946, of October 15, 1947, of December 16, 1947 and by decree No 1803-X of March 28, 1980.
The Order of the Red Star was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal security forces, employees of the State Security Committee of the USSR for personal courage and bravery in battle.
Haidar Halimov participated in breaking the Nazi Siege of Leningrad.
As of late April 2018, only 344 Tajik veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 are estimated to be still alive.
Some 300,000 residents of Tajikistan took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and some 100,000 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.
