Uzbekistan’s President Attends 81st Victory Day Commemorations in Moscow
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the 81st Victory Day commemorations in Moscow on May 9, participating in a historic Red Square parade that went ahead without ground military vehicles for the first time in nearly two decades.
The Uzbek leader was joined by Russian President Vladimir Putin and a host of foreign dignitaries to mark the anniversary of the victory in World War II. According to the Uzbek presidential press service, the international delegation included Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith, Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
A scaled-back parade
The traditional Red Square military parade lasted approximately 45 minutes but was notably scaled back. For the first time since 2007, the event was conducted without the customary display of tanks, missile systems and heavy ground hardware. However, the aerial segment of the proceedings remained intact with military aircraft flying in formation over the Russian capital.
Following the main procession, Mirziyoyev and Putin walked alongside the other visiting leaders to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden. The wreath-laying ceremony serves as a solemn tribute to the millions of soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the global conflict.
Uzbekistan’s wartime sacrifices
Mirziyoyev’s participation in the memorial events highlights Uzbekistan’s demographic contribution and heavy losses during World War II.
Throughout the conflict nearly 2 mln citizens of Uzbekistan were mobilised to the front lines to fight. Official historical records indicate that more than 538,000 Uzbek soldiers were killed in combat while over 158,000 remain listed as missing in action.
