Third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, accompanied by his grandson and friends, visited the memorial in Stepanakert, Artsakh. He placed a wreath of flowers in front of the monument dedicated to the victims of World War II, as well as in front of the graves of soldiers who died during the Artsakh War. Sargsyan was interviewed by the Artsakh Public Television channel.
“The first thing I feel is pity because these bright young men died. Many of them were leaders. They were dedicated to the homeland until the end and they could have brought a lot of help to Armenia. But I also am grateful to them. This means that I am loyal to the work which they died for,” Sargsyan said.
When asked about how he feels about the fact that he was honored with the title of “Hero of Artsakh” due to his role in the Shushi operation, Sargsyan said, “I want to emphasize how critical the Shushi operation was for all future actions. It was clear for everyone that a victory in Shushi meant that a final victory was almost certain. However, if we failed, it meant that we stood on the edge of destruction. That is why we discussed the Shushi operation for a very long time. It is important to mention that all the leaders of Artsakh participated in the operation. It is difficult to speak about Shushi on the spot, but I want to reiterate the fact that the Shushi operation prevented many things.”
He was also asked about what his plans are in Artsakh. “I don’t want to be sentimental, but I miss everyone who died in the war. I miss Vazgen (Sargsyan), Avo (Monte Melkonian), Askolka (Ashot Ghulyan), Dushman Vardan, and others, and I will work to visit their graves over these next few days to somewhat pay my respects again. I have always had many plans in Artsakh. I want to visit Amaras to see what condition it is in. Without Amaras, Gandzasar, and other monuments that have gathered wisdom over the centuries, it is difficult for us to honorably defend our homeland.”
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Tatev Harutyunyan
