Robert Abajyan

Robert Abajyan
Nickname(s) Kyazh (Blondie)
(Armenian: Կյաժ)[1]
The Blond of Monument
Born (1996-11-16)16 November 1996[2]
Yerevan, Armenia
Died 2 April 2016(2016-04-02) (aged 19)
Nagorno-Karabakh
Place of burial Military Pantheon of Yerevan
Allegiance  Republic of Armenia
 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Service/branch Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army
Years of service 2014–2016
Rank Junior Sergeant
Battles/wars 2016 Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes
Awards Hero of Artsakh[3][4]
Golden Eagle medal[4]

Robert Abajyan (Armenian: Ռոբերտ Աբաջյան; 16 November 1996 – 2 April 2016)[5] was an Armenian junior sergeant in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army. He was posthumously awarded with "Hero of Artsakh" which is the highest honorary title of semi-recognized NKR. Abajyan is the youngest person to be awarded the title at 19 years old.[6]

Abajyan fought for several hours against special forces groups of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces during the Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes of 2016 in the northeast line of contact on the night of 1–2 April. After finding himself alone and against larger enemy numbers, he showed as if he was giving up, however when Azeri groups were approaching he pulled out a grenade and blew up the approaching Azeri soldiers with himself.[7]

For his actions shown in the course of defending the borders of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, on 8 May 2016, Abajyan was posthumously awarded with the Golden Eagle Order granted the highest Honorary Title of the "Hero of Artsakh".[1][3][4][8]

Biography

Early life

Abajyan was born on November 16, 1996 in Yerevan, Armenia.[2] In 2003 he went to Yerevan Basic School No. 147 in Kanaker-Zeytun District.[2] He graduated in 2012 and attended Yerevan State Basic Medical College[9] which he graduated in 2014 with a degree in Dental technology. He then attended Medical Institute named after Mother Teresa later same year.[9]

Military service

Abajyan went to compulsory military service in 2014. Due to high military performance, he was promoted to junior sergeant.[1][10]

Armenian–Azerbaijani clashes

On the night of 1–2 April 2016 along the northeastern part of the NKR-Azerbaijan contact line units of Azerbaijani Armed Forces carried out large-scale attacks against the Armenian side. After the use of artillery, groups of Azerbaijani forces commenced an infantry attack. Under the leadership of captain Armenak Urfanyan, a smaller number of Armenian border soldiers started to provide heavy resistance. After two failed attempts of penetration and a loss of a tank, Azeri forces withdrew to their initial positions and resumed the artillery bombardments on the contact line. Captain Urfanyan and Yazidi-Armenian machine-gunner Karam Sloyan were soon killed.[1][11]

After the death of the commander, Robert Abajyan, who had suffered a wound in his leg by that time, took upon himself to proceed with the resistance. After the penetration of Azeri forces inside the line, he brought his wounded comrade machine-gunner Andranik Zohrabyan into the trench cell, which was located at a distance of 30 meters (98 feet).[10] In the trench cell Abajyan contacts with the battalion commander and provides valuable information on the operational situation.[10] He also informed about possible dangers to the commander of the group that hurried to aid.[10] After Andranik Zohrabyan bled to death,[1] Abajyan continued to fight alone from the cell against a large number of enemy forces.[12] After spotting the approaching Azeri soldiers, he attracted their attention by raising his hands and pretended to surrender, while secretly keeping an exposed hand grenade.[1] Allowing the soldiers to approach, Abajyan blew himself up and killed 10 or more Azeris with him. Upon having made that decision, he radioed in and said, as a last request, "Under no circumstances are you to abandon this position!"[1][10][13]

On 8 April, after a mutual agreement was reached in advance between both parties, bodies of Abajyan and Zohrabyan were found as a result of body searching operations.[14]

Funeral

On 11 April Robert Abajyan was buried in the Yerablur Military Pantheon. Funeral ceremonies were held in front of St. John the Baptist Church in Yerevan.[15]

Hero of Artsakh

Abajyan was posthumously awarded with the highest Honorary Title "Hero of Artsakh" and the Order of the "Golden Eagle",[1][4] "for exclusive bravery and courage shown during the defense of the NKR state border in the course of the large-scale military operations from 2 to 5 April".[16] He became the 24th "Hero of Artsakh" awardee, as well as the youngest person ever to hold the title at 19 years old.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ""Մոնումենտցի Կյաժը"՝ Արցախի հերոս Ռոբերտ Աբաջյանը" ["Kjazh" from Monument, Robert Abajyan - Hero of Artsakh] (in Armenian). Mediamax. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 ""Դասամատյաններում միշտ առաջինն էր, ինչպես և կյանքում". դպրոցական հուշեր Ռոբերտ Աբաջյանի մասին" ["He was always number one in the class, just like in life". Memories of Robert Abajyan from school]. Hetq.am (in Armenian). 12 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Junior sergeant Robert Abajyan was posthumously awarded with the highest Honorary Title of the "Hero of Artsakh"". artsakhpress.am. May 8, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Ռոբերտ Աբաջյանը հետմահու "Արցախի հերոս" կոչման է արժանացել" [Robert Abajyan was posthumously awarded with "Hero of Artsakh"] (in Armenian). Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Project: Support our Heroes, Paros
  6. 1 2 "20-летнему Роберту Абаджяну посмертно присвоено звание Героя Арцаха. В НКР наградили защитников родины (фото)". Hetq.am (in Russian). 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Full of Life, Brave Hero – Robert Abajyan". iravaban.net. April 24, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "20-ամյա Ռոբերտ Աբաջյանը հետմահու ճանաչվել է Արցախի հերոս. ԼՂՀ-ում պարգեւատրել են հայրենիքի պաշտպաններին (լուսանկարներ)" [Robert Abajyan, 20, was posthumously awarded with the "Hero of Artsakh" title: Defenders of the motherland were awarded medals in NKR]. Hetq.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. 1 2 Martirosyan, Marine; Pogosian, Hakob (14 May 2016). "Կյաժը. դրվագներ Արցախի հերոս Ռոբերտ Աբաջյանի ուսանողական կյանքից". Hetq.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Harutyunyan, Mher (11 April 2016). "Sergeant Robert Abajyan, by decree of the NKR President, was posthumously awarded the title "Hero of Artsakh" and awarded the "Golden Eagle".". HayZinvor. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Armenian captain destroys tank and dozen enemy soldiers, sacrifices himself by eliminating attack". armenpress.am. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Robert Abajyan alone fought against the Enemy for 5 hourst". Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  13. ↑ ""Նկատել է հակառակորդի ուժերը, կռիվ տվել թշնամու դեմ, ապա պայթեցրել իրեն ու ադրբեջանական խմբին". Վերջին հրաժեշտը՝ Ռոբերտ Աբաջյանին". 168 zham. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.(English)
  14. ↑ "Bodies of two Defense Army soldiers found as a result of searches". Yerevan: Armenpress. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "Героя Роберта Абаджяна похоронили: он подорвал гранатой себя и нескольких врагов (ФОТО)" (in Russian). Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  16. ↑ Robert Abajian, Soldier who fell on the Battlefield – Hero of Artsakh
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