Ruziboy Sattorov, Uzbekistan's Oldest World War II Veteran, Dies at 116

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The oldest participant of World War II in the republic, Ruziboy Sattorov, has died in the Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan in his 117th year. Ahror Sodikov, the press secretary for the Kashkadarya region khokimiyat, announced the veteran's passing.

Ruziboy Sattorov was born in the Kamashi district of the Kashkadarya region. He was one of tens of thousands of Uzbekistani citizens who, after difficult years at the front, returned to their homeland and contributed to the post-war reconstruction of the country.

According to official data from regional authorities, 47,051 people from the Kashkadarya region, including 95 women, were drafted to the front during the war years. Only 22,077 residents of the region returned home.

The veteran gained widespread recognition in the country last year during the 9 May celebrations. At that time, a long-held lifelong dream of his was fulfilled when Ruziboy Sattorov boarded an airplane and took to the sky for the first time in his life.

To fulfill this wish, a military transport aircraft from the Air Force of the Ministry of Defense of the republic was sent to the Khanabad military airfield in Kashkadarya under the personal instruction of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, enabling the elder to make his first flight.