The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, awarded a number of territorial militia members and volunteers for their exceptional bravery and courage demonstrated in the defense of Artsakh’s state borders during the 44-day war. According to Armenpress, medals were also awarded posthumously.
The ceremony began with a minute of silence, followed by the national anthems of Artsakh and Armenia.
Advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, Major General Vardan Avetisyan, noted that the award ceremony is a special occasion to once again appreciate the role played by the devoted sons of the Armenian nation.
Before his speech, Arayik Harutyunyan stated that he bows before the memory of all fallen heroes, and also emphasized that present in the hall was the Hero of Artsakh, volunteer detachment commander Suren Baghdasaryan.
“I also thank all our living heroes. With these awards, we summarize and appreciate the service rendered to the homeland by the entire volunteer movement. We have had failures, but we must acknowledge that we fought against the world. Despite all that, Artsakh exists today and continues to live. I am confident that the future of Armenia and Artsakh is bright, and many victories lie ahead,” said Arayik Harutyunyan.
