Today 1450 veterans of the Great Patriotic War live in Armenia, the youngest of them is 88 years old. Three of them will take part in the Victory Parade in Moscow on the 9th of May and 10 of them – in Novorossiysk. For the last 2 years the number of GPW veterans, living in Armenia, halved.

The General who is more popularly known with his honorable name Commandos, 22 years ago led the liberation fights of the city of Shoushi. The operation, called «Wedding in the mountains», without hesitation can be attributed to a number of the best combat operations of the Armenian liberation war.

Colonel Razmik Simonyan’s memoires after 30 years of Afghanistan war give answers to the question – for what was the Afghan War?
Having a clear idea of the tragic consequences of the war and a clear assessment of the politicians’ political decisions, starting the war, Simonyan, as a real serviceman, does not protrude from the standpoint of criticism of the Afghan war but informs about his particular point of view. Yes, it was a brutal war, however the war was fought on the basis of the strategic interests of the Soviet country, and each soldier, fighting in Afghanistan, on the cost of untold suffering and blood, fulfilled his internationalist duty to the motherland and the people.

– Before the Great Patriotic War the population of Armenia was 1mln 320 000. 600 000 of them fought in combat fronts of GPW.
– In GPW years 106 Armenians were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
– 27 soldiers and sergeants are Cavaliers of Glory of three degrees.

In the chronicle of the Great Patriotic War Sevastopol entered as symbol of courage and heroism, and in the battle for its defense Armenian sons also wrote bright pages of feat.
Among warriors of the defense of Sevastopol was Guard Captain, holder of the order “Red Star” Amasia Garnik Melikyan.

My family searched for missing soldier Sevan Toros Alikhanyan for 72 years. His mother Haykanush did not reconcile with the loss of 20-year-old son, though she got his missing document.
My grandfather’s brother’s destiny still haunts me. I was searching for him wilfully and was sure that one day I’ll find him. After all, life is full of surprises!