Karabakh war hero Leonid Azgaldyan would have turned 70 this year.

“Over the 4 years of Karabakh war, the detachment of Leonid Azgaldyan, a commander of Artsakh liberation army, lost only 6 dead,” his friends reminisce.

“Exemplary discipline was established in Azgaldyan’s detachment, which incorporated the greatest number of volunteer soldiers. The commander always strived for boosting the morale of his soldiers. He had a rare quality of training ordinary people to be heroes.”

Unfortunately, the commander was not paid the tribute he deserved. No school or street was named after him, not a single book written.

From the very first days of Karabakh movement, Azgaldyan was involved in national-liberation war. Since February 1990, he took command of Independence Army, organizing self-defense operations in several settlements, particularly, Vardenis, and fighting in the first line during Nuvadi battles. Fully devoting himself to Karabakh liberation war, Azgaldyan fought in Getashen, Shahumyan and Martakert. In June 1991, he created Liberation Army military organization, and was its Commander-in-Chief till the end of his life.

Leonid Azgaldyan died on June 21, 1992 in Martakert region, on the outskirts of Tonashen village. He was posthumously awarded with Armenian and NKR Military Cross First Degree Order.