Belgrade marks 81st anniversary of WWII liberation

BELGRADE - Serbian government ministers and City of Belgrade officials laid wreaths at the Cemetery of the Liberators of Belgrade on Monday to mark the 81st anniversary of the capital's liberation in WWII.

The ceremony, led by Minister of Labour, Employment and Veteran and Social Affairs Milica Djurdjevic Stamankovski, was also attended by Minister for International Economic Cooperation Nenad Popovic, Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic, Belgrade City Assembly President Nikola Nikodijevic and a delegation of the City of Moscow.

Afterwards, the Serbian delegation laid roses at the Eternal Flame memorial as well as wreaths and flowers at the Monument to the Red Army Soldier.

On October 20, 1944, the Soviet Red Army, assisted by Yugoslav forces, liberated Belgrade after days of fighting, ending three and a half years of German occupation of the city.

According to official sources, 2,944 Yugoslav soldiers and 960 Red Army troops were killed in the Belgrade Operation, which began on October 12, 1944.