UNFINISHED BATTLE OF TANKMAN

Or the dream of comrades about liberation of Shahumyan

Gegham Muradian, the last village council chairman of the village Buzlukh of Shahumyan district, who was also in charge of defense of northern part of the district, introduces Sedrak Hovsepian.

– He is a simple Yerevan guy, was born in 1969, served in the Soviet army, in the training regiment in Tbilisi. There he got trained as tank driver and operator-gunner. Before coming to Shahumyan he was in the Special regiment, in the police special detachment. He just wanted to participate in the defense of the people, to be useful to the common cause.

Then comrades remembered Shahumyan, Buzlukh, Manashid, Verishen, Hay Paris, Erqej… Remembered also organizers and participants of the defense: Shahen Meghryan, Felix Gzokhyan, Sergey Chalyan, Leonid Azgaldyan, Armenak Armenakyan, Tatul Krpeyan, Jivan Abrahamyan, Laert Saghatelyan, Romik Margaryan, Kolik Petrosyan, Khachik Sahakyan, Norik Gyulumyan, Hamlet Stepanyan.

– No village surrendered without a serious struggle, resistance. On July 6, 1991 the Army with armored vehicles attacked Buzlukh. We had a total of 13 weapons, and we resisted until the evening. A week later, on July 13, they arrived with 13 tanks, “Ural”-s, filled with soldiers. With Russian general was Deputy Interior Minister Mamedov. They demanded – to give weapons and people from Armenia. L.Azgaldyan arrived with his men. The next day we gathered for a meeting at the height Verishen, it was also attended by Vazgen Sargsyan. The fight was in Erqej, but we were forced to leave Buzlukh, Manashid and Erqej. In mid-September, we took back the height Verishen and then with 25 fighters liberated our village. A year later, on June 13, 1992. we took Verishen back and kept it a year.

Sedrak, Gegham and their comrades are living with the dream of liberation of beautiful Shaumyana, magical Cold Source (Buzlukh). And this dream, either they’ll carry out, or their sons.

ARAM NERSISYAN
Lt. Colonel