ROLE OF ARMENIAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS IN SHOUSHI LIBERATION

As RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan mentioned, liberation of Shoushi (1992.05.09) is such a military operation which “made our independence a reality” and “opened a new firmament of success of Artsakh armed forces”. In historical victory of Shoushi the Armenian intelligence agents have their inestimable role.

After the Soviet troops withdrawal from Artsakh the NKR leadership created the first regular sub-unit of intelligence agents in the self-defense forces – military intelligence company headed by Vitaliy Haroutyunyan. After some time a radio intelligence group was formed.

The agents on a par with other soldiers participated in military actions showing outstanding heroism. In this regard it is noteworthy to mention the operation of Togh village where 100 fighters participated headed by Arkadiy Ter-Tadevosyan. Here owing to Vigen Grigoryan’s intelligence group’s timely information, enemy’s headquarter staff and its main forces disposition were revealed.

When the decision about Shoushi liberation matured, the intelligence work activated to design the military operation. With intelligence efforts all the Azeri commanders (who were in Shoushi) names, the passwords, military equipment’s qualitative and quantative data were inquired.

Owing to the competent work of intelligence detachments commanders Michael Melik-Stepanov, Victor Saghatelyan, Haykaz Ananyan the enemy found himself in a difficult psychological situation. In achieving victory the assault groups intelligence company headed by Semyon Abrahamyan and Valeriy Hayriyan had their contribution. On May 9th the company fighters smothering the enemy’s resistence entered Shoushi. Here the fighters of special intelligence group under the command of Rouslan Israelyan displayed themselves on a high level, too.

“During its 273-year old history the fortress Shoushi, which was always famous for its impregnability, for the first time surrendered in the name of historical justice. During the military operation which lasted for two days, indisputable fact of human dignity to serve homeland became evident, which brightly was displayed in the heroic deeds of 1st, 4th, 6th, Aknakhbyur, Balouja companies, intelligence subunits of the self-defense forces”, – such an assessment to the Shoushi liberation was given by the newspaper “Martik” (Fighter) in one of its issues in 1993.

Prepared by RA AF GS Intelligence Department