The emergence of the name “Wedding in the Mountains” and how Armenian tricolor had waved on the Dome of Ghazanchecots Church

The emergence of the name “Wedding in the Mountains” and how Armenian tricolor had waved on the Dome of Ghazanchecots Church

May 9, morning: Armenian detachments have successfully finished their operation “Wedding in the mountains” resulting in liberation of Shushi. Shushi liberation has become the turning point in Karabakh war and signified the start of the next victories. The strange name of the operation “Wedding in the mountains” stems from the time when Minister of Defense Vazgen Sargsyan considered it impossible to realize the battle plan to liberate Shushi presented by Komandos and Samvel Babayan. He considered it was not time to realize this operation as they should have prepared for it perfectly. They decided to organize the wedding of Vazgen Sargsyan after liberation of Shushi: so, the operation was named “Wedding in the mountains” as its sign name.

Liberation actions were implemented in 4 directions with simultaneous assaults.

At night of May 8 at 2:30, after conquering Kirs military positions and control of Lachin-Shushi road, Armenian Army enters Shushi and on the dawn of May, the Armenian victorious tricolor has been waving on the Dome of Ghazanchecots Church.

It is one of the most honorable pages in the history of independent Armenia. The liberation of Shushi was the brightest and hugest victory of Armenian battle art in the history of Armenian patriotic war as the national and liberation struggle of Artsakh Armenian in the end of the 20th century.

It is evident that the victory and liberation of Shushi on May 8-9, 1992 is an immense value for Armenians and was one more significant victory to add to May as a marking of the Armenian history.

The liberation of Shushi, the ancient cultural and political center of Artsakh, as a strategic problem was a turning point for the national liberation movement of homeland and in the fight against Azerbaijan that started the war. Artsakh self-defense forces had a series of victories against the large-scale and outnumbered army of Azerbaijan, in Karin Tak, Stepanakert, Ghaibalu, Kosalar, Salibeilv, Khojalu and other settlements.

The necessity to form regular army on the basis of voluntary detachments that fought and were honored for their deeds in national and liberation struggle after the liberation of Shushi was later realized.

When they realized its necessity, from May 1992, in the second Armenian Republic, Artsakh, the process to establish the Defense Army has started and successfully implemented.

Liberation of Shushi also had its economic significance. Because of the blockade of land and air communication, lack of electricity, gas and drinking water, and because of constant shootings from Shushi towards Stepanakert and adjacent territories, the entire Republic’s economy was paralyzed.

And the liberation of Shushi and Lachin, the possibility to connect with the Mother Republic, Armenia assisted all the processes and was called “Road of Life”.

Liberation of Shushi was important for all national unification, Armenians all over the world together with state, political, church, charity and other institutions were united in the national liberation movement of Artsakh to assist Artsakh Armenians to win in their struggle.

May has become the month of Armenian triple holiday, victory in the Second World War, Shushi liberation and formation of Artsakh Defense Army, Month of triple holiday of restoration of the Armenian independence and statesmanship on May 28, 1918, also attaching the same importance to Avarayr heroic battle in our memory that occurred on May 26, 451.