Mariam Poghosyan’s son, Andranik, went missing on the New Year Eve in 1994.  

The mother of four children shared her memories with the readers of Armenian News – NEWS.am.

“Andranik was my elder son. My father-in-law and father took part the Great Patriotic War, during which my father-in-law died. Andranik took after his grandfathers: he adored weapons and hunting,” Poghosyan says.

Andranik (birth date:10.02.1974) was taken to the Army in spring 1993. The military unit, where the young man was serving, was not far from home. “In the morning of December 23, Andranik was returning to the unit. He had forgotten his hat. I cried out, reminding him about it. He smiled and said: “Well, if they put us in line of duty, I’ll have a reason to run home to see you." I never saw him again,” Mariam Poghisayn sighs.

As it turned out later, her son was sent to Karabakh’s Karvachar. “On December 31 we were getting ready for the New Year. Younger children were all asking to decorate the New Year tree, and I kept turning them down. Unless Andranik comes,” Poghosyan remembers.

The grievous news was brought by the son of her brother-in-law: “He said the Azerbaijanis had attacked the positions. Lights went off, I fainted, my mind went blank.”

As a result of the attack, 15 Armenian soldiers died and were wounded. Andranik and five soldiers from Armenia’s Hrazdan city went missing. “A comrade-in-arms said Andranik distracted attention, that’s why they were able to take the corpses and break out of the encirclement. Others say Andarnik was wounded on his head,” Poghosyan said.

Despite all the searches, no information was found about Andranik’s fate. He went missing on 30 December 1993.