NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF

Dear generals, officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers, special civil servants of the Armenian Army and serving workers!
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!

On the eve of the New Year it’s always a good reason to summarize and evaluate the work of 12 months. Our common efforts and hard work were marked by a number of outstanding successes.

Army is really strong when in its ranks there are physically and mentally hardened patriots, high professionals who quickly and correctly are able to orient in difficult situations.

After the ceasefire in 1994, 2014 was the most restless on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. In July and August the enemy carried out numerous acts of sabotage, provocation, intrusion attempts. In November, during the joint tactical exercises “Union 2014” of the armed forces of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, in the airspace of the neutral zone of the Karabakh-Azerbayjani border performing a training flight Mi-24 was meanly shot down.

The enemy got a good lesson for itself, felt the strength and power of the Armenian army. Removal of the bodies of pilots from the territory controlled by the enemy showed that the Armenian soldiers are able to act quickly and decisively.

In connection with the holidays I congratulate the relatives of all those who lost their lives for the Fatherland. I heartily congratulate also those soldiers who honorably passed the examination in international exercises, peacekeeping missions, sports. As chief of the General Staff, every time I am filled with pride when, during such events, our troops are greatly appreciated by foreign generals.

We do not want war, but are required to learn to fight. If you are ready for war, it provides peace. For 21 years, we celebrate the New Year in a peaceful environment.
I wish all lasting peace!

YOURIY KHACHATUROV
Colonel General
Chief of RA AF GS