NKR Defence Army: From Ballalions to Well-Established Army

• 05.09.2016, 12:55
•  NKR,  Info

May 9 in the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic marks the Victory Day of Great Patriotic War, Shushi Liberation Day  and the day of the formation of  NKR Defense Army. 

The NKR Armed Forces or NKR Defense Army ensures the NKR security, safety, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders. Army was formed in the harsh conditions of war imposed by Azerbaijan, on the basis of volunteer units (a brigade, battalion) and it has passed several stages of development.

At the initial stage, before the regular system of the Defense Army was formed, the actions of the volunteer subdivisions were coordinated by defense committee, headquarter, defense counsel led by Arthur Mkrtchyan. From February, 1991 until the beginning of 1992, more than 10 volunteer battalions and brigades were formed in NKR with more than 1,000 volunteers, which was a major prerequisite for the creation of a regular army.

On February 29, 1992, the volunteer units were granted an official status of Self-Defense Forces and on March 4, 1992 according to the decision of the presidium of the Supreme Council,  Colonel Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan was appointed the commander of the Artsakh Self-Defense Forces. On March 26, 1992, before the creation of the Ministry of Defense, under the Council of Ministers a provisional body was established - Self-Defense Committee (president - Serzh Sargsyan). The first great military success of the Self-Defense Forces was the liberation of Shushi on May 9, 1992 (this day later on was declared as the day of the creation of NKR Defense Army), which was followed by the liberation of Lachin and the restoration of the link with the Republic of Armenia. With the order of the president of Self-Defense Committee on August 14, 1992 in the Self-Defense Forces,  defense regions of Askeran (commander Vitali Balasanyan), Hadrut (Arthur Aghabekyan, in September-December, 1993 – Vardan Avetisyan), Martakert (Norayr Danielyan, from November, 1993 – Ashot Arushanyan), Martuni (Monte Melkonyan, from June, 1993 – Movses Hakobyan), Shahumyan (formed in 1994, Sergey Chalyan), Shushi (Vachagan Ishkhanyan), Spetanakert (Central, Commander – Samvel Karapetyan) were created.

On August 15, 1992 according to the decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Council, State Defense Committee was formed (president - Robert Kocharyan), which was entrusted the executive functions of the country.

The Self-Defense Committee formed several units and divisions. Due to their efforts in relatively short-time period the firing positions of Kelbajar, Agdam, Fizuli, Horadiz, Jabrail, Kubatlu and Omar were neutralized and the main territory of Martakert region was liberated.  

In November, 1993 the Self-Defense Committee was renamed Defense Army and in January, 1995 Defense Ministry was established (Minister-Commader Samvel Babayan). From 1999-2007 the Defense Minister of NKR was Seyran Ohanyan, from 2007 to 2015 Movses Hakobyan and since 2015 the Minister is Lyova Mnatsakanyan.