President of Uzbekistan takes part in ceremonial events marking the 81st anniversary of Victory

On May 9, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in ceremonial events marking the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Second World War.

A Victory Parade took place on Red Square and was also attended by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Supreme Ruler of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico, and others.

Victory in the Second World War was a great historical achievement attained through the unparalleled courage, resilience, and self-sacrifice of millions of people. The multinational people of Uzbekistan, who demonstrated true heroism both at the front and on the home front, also made a significant contribution to the common Victory.

At the beginning of the war, the republic’s population exceeded 6 million people. During the war years, nearly 2 million Uzbeks were mobilized to the front. More than 538,000 of our compatriots lost their lives on the battlefields, while over 158,000 went missing during the war.

For the bravery, courage, and military valor they displayed, more than 214,000 soldiers and officers from Uzbekistan were awarded military orders and medals. The high title of Hero of the Soviet Union was conferred upon 301 Uzbek compatriots, while another 70 became full cavaliers of the Order of Glory, forever inscribing their names in the history of that great feat.

No less significant was the labor feat of the Uzbek people on the home front. The republic became a reliable support base for the front, ensuring uninterrupted supplies of food, uniforms, medicines, armaments, and other strategically important resources. In an exceptionally short period, more than 170 evacuated enterprises were relocated to Uzbekistan, helping maintain the stable operation of the defense industry and significantly strengthening the overall capacity for Victory.

During the war years, the people of Uzbekistan demonstrated remarkable humanism and genuine compassion by welcoming more than 1.5 million evacuees from frontline regions, including over 250,000 orphaned children. Care, compassion, and the readiness to share the common suffering became a vivid testament to the spiritual strength and nobility of our people.

In Uzbekistan, large-scale efforts continue to preserve the memory of heroes, front-line soldiers and home front workers, as well as to provide decent social support for veterans. The majestic Victory Park memorial complex established in Tashkent has become a symbol of profound respect for the feat of the wartime generation.

Following the parade, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, together with President of Russia Vladimir Putin and other heads of state laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden.

The memorial, erected in memory of the millions of soldiers, including the sons of Uzbekistan, who displayed unparalleled courage and gave their lives for Victory, stands as a symbol of the resilience, heroism, and selfless devotion of the defenders of the Motherland.

The ceremony concluded with a minute of silence, followed by a solemn march by the honor guard company and the military orchestra.