Leader of the United Homeland Party Samvel Babayan today posted on his Facebook page a comment on National Hero of Armenia, hero of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) Monte Melkonian, who would turn 62 today. He also posted a photo of him with second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, hero of Artsakh Monte Melkonian, General Zhora Gasparyan (also known as Gradi Zhora in Artsakh) and President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan.

The comment particularly reads as follows:

“In 1993, the battle for Artsakh had entered a new stage. Besides being the most dangerous military post for the invasion of Stepanakert, Aghdam was also the main headquarters of the Azerbaijani army. Taking into consideration the strategic significance of Aghdam, Heydar Aliyev had said: “Aghdam is the heart and soul of Karabakh, the hope of the Azerbaijani army”. In the strategic and moral-psychological senses, the seizure of Aghdam was a necessity and was called for ensuring the security of Stepanakert, Askeran and the other adjacent settlements.

Under my leadership, the neutralization of the military posts started, proceeded and ended successfully. During the first stage, the objective was to neutralize the firing points on the edges of Aghdam and create a strong defense line for baseline attack with the support of the Central and Martuni defense regions (under the command of Monte Melkonian). The operation was a success, and the former defense positions were reestablished due to the flexible strategic mindset of Monte as well.

I rediscovered Monte while planning the operation. He had an innate talent of making the impossible possible and a way of treating soldiers like I had not seen before.

Monte Melkonian (Avo) was a living legend who, besides becoming a hero on the battlefield, also had to become a hero in the process of building the nation and a country with sustainable development. Alas, the bullet of the ambushed adversary became fatal.

Monte died, but he became eternal to give all us Armenians lessons on how to turn the land into a homeland and love the homeland. Your memory lives on, Monte Melkonian!”