On May 8, during a visit to the Central Military Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense, where he met with so-called World War II veterans, Uzbekistan’s most unpopular president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, staged yet another display of hypocrisy.

One of these false veterans, 98-year-old Anarboy Jalilov from the Parkent district of Tashkent region, after a brief prayer to God, said the following: “If these people (presumably referring to Mirziyoyev’s entourage) ask me about Shavkat Miramanovich, I would tell them to abolish (presidential) elections. Call the people together and announce that Shavkat Miramanovich should remain president for the rest of his life.”

Using manipulative techniques like that, Mirziyoyev and his entourage are preparing Uzbeks to accept the idea that the Mirziyoyev clan will rule the state for life, with the subsequent transfer of power to their heirs.

In the Uzbek version of the propaganda video produced by the Mirziyoyev regime, it is claimed that “98-year-old Anarboy-ota Jalilov was born in 1926 in the Yukori-Chirchik district. He spent six years of his life on the battlefield. After spending six years on the battlefield, he returned from the war (World War II) and taught in public schools in the Parkent district.”

However, in the Russian version of the video, it is not mentioned that Jalilov “spent six years on the battlefield.” Instead, it briefly states that “98-year-old Anarboy-ota Jalilov dedicated several years of his life to fighting for the freedom of peaceful people.”

This false information was presented to Uzbeks as factual, including details about another fake veteran, Uskan Khodzhimatov. The voice of the Mirziyoyev regime’s propaganda, speaking in Uzbek, claimed that “Uskan-bobo Khodzhimatov, born in 1926 (note: he was 13 years old at the start of World War II, and 15 at the start of the Great Patriotic War), spent 9 years of his life on the battlefield. The elderly man who fought bravely during the war years of 1941-1945 also participated in the battles of the 2nd Belorussian Front in 1945-1946.”

The Russian version of the propaganda video about Khodzhimatov was less detailed: “Uskan-ota Khodzhimatov from the Bayaut district spent 9 years of his life on the battlefield. He showed bravery in the war from 1941-1945 and spent the following years on the Belorussian Front.”

For the benefit of the ignorant Mirziyoyev propagandists, it should be noted that the Belorussian Front was established on October 20, 1943, and disbanded on August 15, 1945.

Anarboy Jalilov and Uskan Khodzhimatov do not appear on the official lists of those conscripted from Uzbekistan during the Great Patriotic War.

It is worth noting that a man named Anarbay Jalilov, born in 1921, was conscripted from the Parkent district (whether he is still alive or not is unknown, but he would be 103 years old today). If Mirziyoyev’s “veteran” is pretending to be the real Anarbay Jalilov, then Uzbek law enforcement authorities are obliged to investigate this matter.

As for the difference in how the stories about the fake veterans were presented in Uzbek and Russian, it appears to be aimed primarily at Uzbek citizens who living in rural areas, who are less discerning and less demanding about the information they receive.