President Mirziyoyev’s Uncle Eliminated Over 20 Nazi Soldiers in 1945
Urumbek Yakibov, the great-uncle of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, eliminated more than 20 German soldiers while commanding a mortar crew during the Oder River offensive in January 1945, TASS reports.
Assisting Soviet troops in crossing the river and securing a bridgehead, Yakibov’s unit repelled seven counterattacks over a two-day period. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star in the spring of 1945 for his actions during the battle.
Prior to the Oder River offensive, Yakibov was named a Hero of the Soviet Union in 1944 after helping to repel 15 enemy counterattacks during the Dnieper River crossing. His other military decorations include the medals «For Courage» and «For the Defence of the Caucasus».
Historical data shows 2 mln citizens of Uzbekistan participated in World War II, with 580,000 losing their lives in combat. The republic served as an evacuation point for over 100 industrial enterprises and maintained vital supply lines to the front, providing troops with food, ammunition and military equipment.
According to the Ministry of Defence, 60 World War II veterans and individuals of equal status currently reside in Uzbekistan. This demographic includes 14 combat veterans, 13 survivors of the Siege of Leningrad, 19 former prisoners of Nazi concentration camps and 14 individuals with war-related disabilities.
