Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan issued a message on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, the liberation of Shushi and the Day of the Creation of the Artsakh Defense Army. This was reported by the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Armenia.
We present the full text of the message below:
“Dear compatriots,
I congratulate everyone on the occasion of Victory Day. Seventy-five years ago, on this day, our people, together with the other peoples of the former Soviet Union, celebrated the victory over one of the greatest evils in the history of mankind — fascism. That victory was achieved through immense human suffering, sacrifices, unprecedented courage and perseverance.
The Armenian people played a significant role in the achievement of that victory and, as a consequence, in the liberation of European peoples from the scourge of fascism. More than half a million Armenians participated in the war in the Soviet army. Thousands of Armenians fought in the resistance movement units of European countries. The Armenian people laid some 300,000 lives on the altar of victory. For a people that had survived genocide barely a quarter of a century earlier, that was an unimaginably large number, comparable only to the human losses suffered by great powers. By the end of the war, the population of Soviet Armenia had decreased by more than 13 percent, even though no military operations had taken place on our soil.
Today we bow before the memory of our martyrs, but we also take pride in the heroism of our ancestors. During the war, 107 Armenians were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union — the highest honour bestowed for exceptional feats of valour. Also worthy of special pride is the significant material contribution made by the sons of the Armenian people living in Armenia and the Diaspora, and especially by the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, to the victory.
We have fully paid our debt in all the wars of the 20th century. And now, more than anyone else, we are keenly aware of the value of peace. Our identity is best expressed in conditions of peace, through creative and life-giving work. At the same time, knowing the price of peace, we are always ready to defend it at any cost and, if necessary, to fight anew for our freedom and dignity.
It is a coincidence, or perhaps a regularity predetermined by providence, that these days we also celebrate the liberation of Shushi and the creation of the Artsakh Defense Army. Events that had exceptional significance for our recent history. The liberation of Shushi heralded the beginning of the liberation of Artsakh. Crowned with a brilliant victory, it in turn became the guarantee of the security of our people and the preservation of peace. Today, too, we are resolute: the security of the people of the Republic of Artsakh and the realisation of the right to self-determination are not subject to negotiation. They are absolute values for us.
Let us remember and pay tribute to our heroes who fell for the liberation of Shushi and all of Artsakh. They stood as firmly as their grandfathers did nearly half a century earlier, in the Second World War. Let us remember our young men who fell in the April Four-Day War — our modern-day heroes, who proved with their lives that the freedom-loving spirit and will of our people are inextinguishable.
Glory to all the heroes who fought for the freedom of the Armenian people!
Long live eternal Armenia!”
