YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. On the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian Army, the Armenian people shall first commemorate those immortals who gave their lives for defending the country’s borders, President Serzh Sargsyan said in his speech after an awarding ceremony in the Presidential Palace on the occasion of Army Day on January 28.

“We, as a nation, stand by the parents who raised these heroes and send to their families the words of compassion and support. 

Those boys fell defending their families, their friends and us all. They fell so that Armenia can live, so that aspirations of our people live on and become a reality. They became immortals and together with us will continue the millennia-long and incessant march of the Armenian nation”, the President said.

Serzh Sargsyan congratulated the servicemen who were present at the ceremony, who continue the dedicated work of their brothers-in-arms in the Armed Forces.

Be sure that the Fatherland trusts you and believes in you. We are proud of you; you are the worthy sons of our nation, the power and reliance of our people”, Serzh Sargsyan said, adding “Now, in your presence, I address the people of Armenia with a congratulatory message on the occasional of the Armenian Army Day”.

Congratulating the Armenian people on Army Day, the President of Armenia stressed the Armenian Army was created along with the reestablishment of the statehood.

“However, the formation of the Army started earlier, and it started not from the top but from the bottom, spontaneously, through the instinct of self-defense of the people.

Hideous events, which had taken place in Sumgait, Baku, and other places in Azerbaijan, awaked our historic memory with the blood-chilling pictures of massacres and forced deportations. Formed spontaneously but deeply consciously the voluntary movement and first units of volunteers had become the axis on which the glorious and victorious structure – the Armenian Army would rise. We, as a nation, had united. Last time, we had been united like this at Sardarapat. The superior resources of the foe did not scare us. On the contrary, that fact made us serious, organized, and focused. Our Army was formed at the battlefield. We were fighting against the enemy literally inside our own home. 

I recall a true story: a man with the firearm in hands was fighting the enemy in his own home. He fought and retreated from the doorway to the kitchen, then still fighting he retreated to the living room, then he took back his kitchen and his doorway. This is not an allegory; this is a true story from the heroic battle of Karintak. The war imposed on us, made us all the Army; this is the truth”, the President said.

According to the President, during those years we needed officers - professional, experienced, and deeply knowledgeable of the military science.

“We have been able to smoothly and effortlessly to intertwine the professional capabilities of the military and the strong battle spirit of the home guard. We were aware that the Fidai movement, even if of a heroic nature, had no prospects. The time had come to create a professional army. Military servicemen all over the Soviet Union answering the call of the Fatherland gathered here and carried out that tremendous task”, Serzh Sargsyan said.

“Twenty-five years ago, by the order of Vazgen Sargsyan our Army became a state structure. From that day one, we were fighting in the self-defense war at the state level. From that day on, the new and glorious history of the Armed Froces of the Republic of Armenia is being written. Many of the pages and heroes of that history have already appeared in history books. Moreover, that history has become an indivisible part of our national identity. That history is our self-respect, human and national dignity, the proof of our freedom”, President Sargsyan added.