A military parade marched in the capital of South Ossetia in honor of the 68th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. From the tribune of honor set up in the center of Tskhinval the parade was being watched by the leadership headed by President Leonid Tibilov, veterans of the Great Patriotic War, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in the Republic of South Ossetia Elbrus Kargiev, commander of the 4th Russian military base Alexander Shushukin, head of the Federal Security Service Border Control Agency in South Ossetia Valery Reznichenko, guests of the Republic.
Before the parade, Leonid Tibilov addressed the veterans and participants of the parade, congratulating them on the Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, wishing them happiness, peace and good. He has noted that today's holiday will remain forever in the fate of Ossetia and in the heart of each of its residents.
"We strongly condemn any attempts to diminish the role of the Red Army in defeating fascism, to revise the results of the World War II, using the memory of it for one`s own speculative political gains. People of South Ossetia, as no one else, know the price of freedom. Therefore, we will persevere in our will to assert the principles of justice, humanity and international security. We intend to continue strengthening our cooperation with brotherly Russia and other states, with the world community, creating general guarantees for lasting peace in the Caucasus region and in the whole world, "- said the president.
The Head of State has noted that nearly seven decades separate the people from the greatest tragedy in human history – like a fiery tornado it passed over the planet, crippled the lives of hundreds of millions of its inhabitants, demonstrating how dangerous could be games of ethnic exclusiveness and political diktat, how pernicious could be contempt for human life.
Leonid Tibilov has also congratulated the soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces of the Republic, the defenders of Ossetia, the Russian military contingent and the border guards of the Russian Federation, whose martial brotherhood in August 2008, according to the head of state, is the striking illustration of the common determination of Russia and South Ossetia to defend peace and the interests of our states, repelling the external aggression.
Deputy Minister of Defense Ibrahim Gasseev reported to the head of state of readiness for the parade. Then followed a solemn march opened by the Banner group of servicemen of the guard of honour of South Ossetia.
On the central square of Tskhinval marched the troops of the Ministry of Defense of South Ossetia, the 4th Russian military base in South Ossetia, a special police squad of Internal Ministry of South Ossetia, the RF FSS Border Control Agency in the Republic of South Ossetia, the Border Service of the KGB of South Ossetia, the Tskhinval military school pupils.
In honor of the 68th anniversary of the Great Victory the military school pupils carried a copy of the multi-meter "St. George ribbons."
The parade was also attended by military equipment of the Armed Forces of the Republic and the Russian military base.
The weather in Tskhinvali is sunny and warm.
Today in honor of the victory in the capital of South Ossetia will be held t a holiday concert, with the participation of the well-known Russian and South Ossetian pop singers.
The Russian group "Discomafia" will perform in Tskhinval within the framework of agreements on cooperation between the Ministries of Culture of South Ossetia and Russia.
On the eve of the Victory Day a ceremony of laying the Garland of Glory at the memorial "The Eternal Flame" took place in Tskhinval. Leonid Tibilov has personally visited and congratulated the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, who for health reasons were not able to take part in the celebration of the Day of the Great Victory.
The festivities in honor of the 68th anniversary of the Great Victory are being held in all districts of the Republic.
