Tajik officers and soldiers will travel to Russia in early May to participate in the festive parade dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, an official source within Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) told Asia-Plus in an interview.

The exact number of servicemen who will travel to the Russian capital to march on the Red Square has not been disclosed yet.

The military parade, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II, will take place in Moscow on May 9.  Military personnel from 19 countries, including seven former Soviet republics, have been invited to the event.  As of now, 10 countries have confirmed their participation.

In addition to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan has also confirmed the participation of its military personnel in the Victory Parade.  Kyrgyzstan will send 80 soldiers from the National Guard of Kyrgyzstan to Moscow.

It is important to remember that about 300,000 people from Tajikistan were mobilized to fight in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, of which 92,000 were killed or went missing.  Every year on May 9 and June 22, Tajikistan honors the veterans of the war and those who worked on the home front.