Live: Festive Fireworks and Concert Dedicated to the Triple Holiday of May

The Armenian people celebrate the triple holiday on May 9, commemorating the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the liberation of Shushi, and the establishment of the Artsakh Defense Army. The festive day concludes with fireworks, followed by a celebratory concert.

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day, the 28th anniversary of the Artsakh Defense Army, and the liberation of Shushi. In 1945, the victory of the Soviet peoples, including Armenians, in the Great Patriotic War was followed by the victory in the liberation of Shushi in 1992, which was succeeded by the creation of the Artsakh Defense Army.

From 1941 to May 1945, the Armenian people actively participated in the Great Patriotic War, bringing victory closer. Approximately 600,000 Armenians participated in the war, forming 6 Armenian divisions, with about 314,000 lost or missing. During the war years, Armenia produced 4 marshals: Baghramyan, Babajanyan, Khudyakov (Khamperyants), and Aghanov, along with one admiral of the USSR, Isakov. Notably, three of the four marshals of Armenian descent, as well as the admiral, were originally from Artsakh.

For their bravery and courage, 99 Armenian heroes have been awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (including 4 for the Soviet-Finnish War and 5 for special missions conducted post-war), alongside 10 other Armenians from national minorities, totaling 116 individuals. Among them, two were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice: Marshal Hovhannes Baghramyan and guard captain pilot Nelson Stepanyan. The heroes included commanders, high-ranking officials, and common soldiers. Of these, 36 were killed in battle and posthumously awarded the title of hero.

Exactly 24 years ago, on the morning of May 9, Armenian troops completely liberated the strategically significant city of Shushi, considered a turning point in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Throughout the conflict, Shushi was shelled from the territories of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and later from the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Stepanakert.

The military operations aimed at liberating Shushi were conducted in four directions, with simultaneous attacks on the night of May 8 at 2:30 AM, after seizing the Kirs military positions and taking control of the Lachin-Shushi road, employing the MM-21 rocket artillery battalion. The operational plan for the liberation of Shushi was developed under the leadership of Arkadi Ter-Tadevosyan, immediately following the liberation of Khojaly.

The liberation operation was informally called 'Wedding in the Mountains,' derived from the fact that at that time Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan deemed the combat plan presented by Commander and Samvel Babayan for the liberation of Shushi unfeasible, believing it was too early and that thorough preparations were necessary. They decided to celebrate Sargsyan's wedding in the mountains after capturing Shushi, thus coining the operation's name.

May 9 also marks the anniversary of the establishment of the Artsakh Defense Army. The Artsakh Defense Army was officially established on May 9, 1992, uniting the self-defense military units that had been operating since 1990.