During the Great Patriotic War, thousands of residents of Tajikistan rose to defend their homeland. With a republic population of just over 1.5 million, more than 330,000 people went to the front. Over 100,000 of them perished, never returning to their loved ones.
The feats of Tajik soldiers earned high recognition: 57 individuals were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Three of them displayed courage and heroism during the battles for the liberation of Belarus. One of these men, Domullo Azizov – a Hero of the Soviet Union – took part in the liberation of Belarus. He distinguished himself during the crossing of the Dnieper River in Loev District, where, in October 1943, he wiped out a group of enemy submachine gunners. He was killed in battle. A street and a school in Minsk are named after Domullo Azizov.
Such visits serve as a reminder that the memory of Khatyn lives on far beyond the borders of Belarus, and that preserving history is our shared task.
