On April 4^th, 2019, we had an interview with the participants of April Four-Day War Vladimir Poghosyan, Head of YSUIB Library, lecturer of Armenian History and Social Sciences Department and Slavik Alaverdyan, Inspector of the Department of Professional Orientation and Practice, lecturer of the Department of General Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

– Dear Vladimir and Slavik, where were you performing your military service when the April Four-Day war started?

V.P. – I have performed my military service in the 4th defense region of Artsakh Republic Defense Army, in Askeran military unit. On April 2, 2016 at 3 a.m. the April war, a new phase in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, started. The defenders of our motherland withstood the armed enemy. Along with skillful officers the conscripts fought bravely as heroes. The heavy combats took place in southeastern and northeastern parts of the frontline. It is possible that the enemy was planning to divert Armenian forces to active military operations to those directions in order to weaken the central part of the frontline, but the idea eventually failed.

S.A. – I have performed my military service in the northeastern part of Artsakh, in Martakert. On the night of 2 April, I was in a military unit. At 3:00 am, I was awake. I started listening to the bomber blast. First, I thought it was a regularshooting, which had become more frequent in 2015. However, the votes were intensified, and it became clear that this was something else. We woke everyone up and prepared to join our friends for help. For some time, active artillery did not allow to do it, and only hours later we occupied our positions and fulfilled our combat mission.

By the way, the word “Four-day” is circulating on different platforms, but it is not appropriate, as the combat operations were resumed and the war lasted for more than 4 days.

– In your opinion, what were the causes of the April war, how long it lasted and how it happened?

V.P. – The bases of the April military operations are deeper than we imagine. Since 1994 ceasefire, developments in the legal-political context of the Artsakh issue did not create preconditions for settlement of the territorial issues through constructive negotiations and to resolve the issue on the basis of the principles of self-determination and territorial integrity within the framework of international law. It is noteworthy that Azerbaijani Armed Forces started new accumulations and regroupings beginning from April 2 and reportedly brought 3 artillery brigades and other artillery and general military staff forces to the frontline. As part of elaborated tactics, tank subdivisions were constantly moving, maneuvering and taking new shooting positions along the battle lines of the 4^th Defense Region, trying to spread panic among Armenian border defense forces. Evidently, in the central part of the frontline accumulations reached their apogee on April 4. During this the enemy was constantly bringing new forces to the frontline.

On April 4 at 17:30 observers of the artillery subdivision of the 4^th Defense Region detected motorcades and artillery batteries along the Akna frontline, near the Azerbaijani villages of Ballar, Sarijali, Chemenli and separated tank columns near the villages of Gharadaghli, Evoghlu and Afatlu as well as fire positions of artillery batteries in the outskirts of Afatlu, Evoghlu, Gharadaghli, Mahrizlu, Sarijali villages. At 18:00, the central artillery military unit and divisions of the 4^th Defense Region of the NKR Defense Army opened salvo fire against those accumulations. Artillery subdivisions of the central defense region of the Defense Army played a key role here. The central artillery subdivisions managed to suppress the above mentioned brigades and destroy the command center of the brigade with a combined slavo fire.

S.A. – The main cause of the war, in my opinion, is the unscrupulous self-deception of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan that they have the advantage over us, and the distortion of history, the misleading of their own people, and the unjustified ambitions.

The active actions lasted April 2-5, some places on April 6, and then on April 27-28, for the second time the Armenian artillery detachments engaged in artillery shootings and completely fulfilled the combat mission.. .The role of artillery is invaluable.

I will tell the deeds of my military unit staff. The largest group was focused on our direction, and in the first case, an unprecedented attack was expected in the case of successful adversaries. In the morning of April 2, the captain Armenak Urfanyan, junior sergeant Robert Abajyan, Qyaram Sloyan and Andranik Zohrabyan were killed in battle for the defense of one of our units. Under the order of the commander of the military unit, Colonel Samvel Grigoryan, three groups were rushed to the position. Lieutenant Colonel Aram Hayryan, Edik Maloyan and his subordinates, spies and tankers were distinguished by their actions. During the protection and resettlement of our positions, our servicemen have resisted the enemy more than 20 times.

– What did you feel during the war days and what changed in you after the war?

V.P. – Faith and trust, boundless faith in a friend and a commander. The war has changed every approach, breaking the stereotype of the commander, officer.

Forgetting every negative and bad phenomenon, our soldiers and officers were able to solve all of the problems. The combat operations not only consolidated, but also became the pledge of existence of a pan-national united army because every Armenian, regardless of his position, was doing his best to help the soldier standing in the trench.

S.A. – The feelings were different and mixed, from fear and confusion to bravery and pride. Many of us did not have hope that they would survive, but they were ready to defend their homeland at all costs. We spent about two months in very difficult conditions, adapting to various deprivations, for the sake of the homeland and the welfare of our families. We were very excited and surprised by some of the nation’s consolidation and their aid.

After the war, I have begun to look differently at the people around me, at simple and complex human relationships:  you do not know who will be next to you at the most difficult moments.

– What teaches the April Four-Day War and what will you tell our young people (in particular our students)?

V.P. – “Be strong, stronger and always stronger, power is the right,” so we must use power to further strengthen our military capabilities. It is always necessary to be ready, because living in a region where the Muslim pursues the policy of “without Armenians in the region” is just a matter of daily replenishment and strengthening of our powers. I am convinced that a nation with such a generation is invincible. Let’s love our country, our home and all that is ours, love more and more…

S.A. – Always be ready for war. If we are strong and ready for war and rebuff, the enemy will not attack.

My message is the following: “You do not know when your life’s thread will be cut off: you must live a full life every day “.

– Thank you (particularly, all our heroes, brave sons of the nation), dear Vladimir and Slavik, for the homeland service and of course, for this impressive interview.

Interviewed by YSUIB Public Relations and Press Responsible

Hasmik Vanyan

 On April 4^th, 2019, YSU Ijevan Branch hosted Badminton Open Championship, attended by 36 athletes from YSU Ijevan Branch, Ijevan College, Ijevan Sports School and a Primary School # 1.

The Championship aimed to encourage young people in the region to lead healthy lifestyles, to raise their physical readiness, to popularize sport in the region.

The Championship was held in an Olympic style: the loser was out of the fight.

The athletes of Ijevan sports school were distinguished by their skill.

Ruzanna Sarukhanyan performed a beautiful game and a stubborn struggle.

Monica Khojumyan (Ijevan Primary School, 9th Grade) took the first place.

 Ruzanna Sarukhanyan (Ijevan Primary School N1, 4th Grade) took the second place.

David Balinyan (Ijevan Primary School, 7th Grade) won the boys’ competition.

Arshavir Tadevosyan (Ijevan Primary School, 5th Grade) took the second place.

The winners were awarded diplomas and souvenirs by YSUIB Directorate.

On April 3, 2019, YSU Ijevan Branch hosted “They Live” literary-musical commemorative event dedicated to the memory of the April Four-day War heroes.

The event was organized by Associate professor of the Department of Armenian Language and Literature, PhD Alisa Hasanyan, together with 3^rd-year student of “Armenian Language and Literature” specialty Nina Harutyunyan and 3^rd-year student of “History” specialty Shirak Gasparyan.

The event was attended by the members of the administrative and professorial staff of YSU Ijevan Branch, representatives of Ijevan military unit, Deputy Commander Nver Mangasaryan, Deacon Ruben Arzumanyan, a number of officers, Soldiers, family members of the April War Hero Vladimir Alikhanyan, priest of Makaravank Arshavir Asatryan , students, guests, citizens.

YSU Ijevan Branch students of different specialties (Liana Nersisyan, Araik Shahnazaryan, Taguhi Sahakyan, Zina Voskanyan, Mary Petrosyan, Nina Harutyunyan, Gurgen Dalyan, Liana Alaverdyan, Ani Martirosyan, Liana and Diana Yaralyans, Gohar Mkhitaryan, Margarit Tamrazyan, Aspram Veranyan) took a part in the literary-musical event.

In the beginning of the event, they paid a tribute to the memory of the heroes of the April War with a minute of silence.

Songs and poems on the theme of war were presented (“My Brother and Me”, “Battle”, “Armenian Soldier”, “I’m Proud”, “In a Battle”, “Red Tulips”, “Return to Home”, “Homeland”, “Ballad of a Soldier”, “Peace to Everyone and All!”).

Based on the words of family members, surrounding people and friends, the heroic image of Vladimir Alikhanyan, who died in the April war, was depicted, accompanied by the presentation, the hero’s path, his dreams, the feelings and hopes of the war, the message to us were thoroughly introduced.

During the literary-musical event, Vladimir Poghosyan, participant of the April Four-day War, Head of YSUIB Library, lecturer of the Armenian History and Social Sciences Department, and Slavik Alaverdyan, Inspector of the Department of Professional Orientation and Practice, lecturer of General Mathematics and Natural Sciences Department, made a heartfelt performance, talking about the sudden attack of the enemy, about the actions taken, the course of the war, and the conclusions drawn from it, the service and the protection of the motherland, that everyone should be ready to devote his life for his homeland.

At the end of the event, the commander of Ijevan military unit, deputy commander of the military unit Nver Mangasaryan, a military unit psychologist, YSUIB lecturer V. Chobanyan, and Acting director of Ijevan Branch of YSU A. V. Tsutsulyan delivered a speech conveying their gratitude to the organizers and participants for the high-level event, underlining that the nation which had such a generation, a strong backing in the form of a supportive, affectionate and encouraging, patriotic young people, ready to defend their native land at the cost of their lives, would rebuke every attack of the enemy.

The event ended with the blessing and prayer of Bishop Arshavir Asatryan, pastor of Makaravank.

The photos of the event are available in the gallery.

 On April 2, 2019, a theatrical play entitled “Armenian Sketches” was staged by YSU Cultural Center, at Ijevan House of Culture, turning into a real cultural holiday for the whole city.

Not only did YSUIB employees and students come to enjoy the play, but also representatives of various spheres of the region, theater-lovers, guests and citizens.

As it is known, the play is based on Vardges Petrosyan’s essay-novel “Armenian Sketches”.

The authors of the screenplay scenario are YSU Cultural Center Director Karine Davtyan and Ani Mikayelyan, the director is Karine Davtyan, and the roles are played by the students of YSU Cultural Center “Hamalsaranakan” theater-studio.

V.Petrosyan’s “Armenian Sketches” tells about the difficult path of the Armenian people, obstacles, revolutions and wars, its consequences, the Armenians around the globe, and the image of a true Armenian.

The authors of the performance created a patriotic theme and a new format  aimed at spreading patriotic ideas among today’s generation in which the importance is given not to the mourning and loss, but to the one who fights for his own country, the creator and the one that lives for it. The co-authors have done  editorial works as well as additions about the reent Artsakh and April four-day wars and their heroes. According to Karine Davtyan, she had long been thinking about staging a patriotic performance that would shake the spirit of today’s youth: “I have been looking for a lot of years and have read a lot of things, but none of them seemed to fit that way of thinking I would like. One day I remembered about Vardges Petrosyan’s play, which he wrote for the Dramatic Theater, and it appeared in my hands. The play was staged on time. Again, I read and understood, this is what should be done right now.”
Karine Davtyan included new heroes and episodes in the performance: “The play was written during a period after which very important events took place in our people’s lives, including the Artsakh War, the four-day war. He had a great impact on me. The young patriotic spirit of the young guys is extremely touching.”

The cooperation of YSU Ijevan Branch with YSU Cultural Center began last year when the Branch Directorate offered the Center to organize a graduation ceremony for YSUIB graduates. And by the suggestion of the Branch Directorate, at the House of Culture in Ijevan, “Armenian Sketches” theatrical play was staged dedicated to the heroes of the April War, on April 2, 2019.

YSU Ijevan Branch and YSU Cultural Center Cooperation will be continuous: A preliminary agreement was reached to create a Cultural Center, at YSU Ijevan Branch.

The photos of the event are available in the gallery.