Albert Agarunovich Agarunov ( az, Albert Aqarunoviç Aqarunov) (25 April 1969 – 8 May 1992) is a Jewish

National Hero of Azerbaijan The National Hero of Azerbaijan ( az, Azərbaycan milli qəhrəmanı) is the highest Hero (title), national title in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The title was named on 25 March 1992, and the "Qizil Ulduz" Medal awarded as a sign of receiving this t ...

and Starshina of the

Azerbaijani Army The Azerbaijani Armed Forces ( az, Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri) were re-established according to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Armed Forces from 9 October 1991. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) had originally formed ...

who died during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. He was among Azerbaijanis defending

Shusha / hy, Շուշի , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = ShushaCollection2021.jpg , image_caption = Landmarks of Shusha, from top left:Ghazanchetsots Cathedral • Yukhari Govha ...

, which was captured by

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

forces during the Battle of Shusha on May 9, 1992.

Life

Albert Agarunov was born in a Baku suburb to Mountain Jewish parents, Agarun, who was an oil-worker from

Quba Quba () is a city and the administrative centre of the Quba District of Azerbaijan. The city lies on the north-eastern slopes of Shahdag mountain, at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, on the right bank of the Kudyal river. It has a po ...

, and Leah Agarunov. Albert was one of the family's ten children. During his school years, Albert was interested in music, and he took trumpet lessons. After obtaining a degree in technology, he started working at a machine building factory, as a metal turner. His brother, Rantik Agarunov, stated that: "The only thing Albert did not like, was aggression and abusive attitudes towards the vulnerable."

Military service

He served in the

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

from 1987 to 1989 in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. Agarunov was a tank commander during his military service.

Participation in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

In 1991, Agarunov voluntarily enlisted in the

in the war against ethnic Armenian separatists in the

Nagorno-Karabakh Nagorno-Karabakh ( ) is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Syunik, and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains. The region is m ...

region, becoming a tank commander. In May 1992, Armenian forces launched a successful assault to capture the strategically important town of Shusha, in order to break the

Siege of Stepanakert The siege of Stepanakert started in late 1991, during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, in Stepanakert, the largest city in Nagorno-Karabakh, when the Azerbaijani forces circled the city. Until May 1992, the city and its Armenian population were ...

. Agarunov fought in a battalion led by Elchin Mammadov during the battle, where he took part in a tank engagement against an Armenian T-72 commanded by Gagik Avsharian, successfully disabling the tank.

Death and commemorations

Commander Haji Azimov said that Agarunov left his vehicle to remove the bodies of dead Azerbaijani soldiers lying on the streets, and he was hit by sniper fire. Agarunov was killed on the road connecting Shusha to Lachin on 8 May 1992. Agarunov was posthumously awarded the title of

and was buried at

Martyrs' Lane Martyrs' Lane or Alley of Martyrs ( az, Şəhidlər Xiyabanı), formerly known as the Kirov Park, is a cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January 1990 and in the First Nagorno-Karaba ...

in Baku in May 1992, attended by both Imams and Rabbis. The school in Baku from which Albert graduated was renamed after him. In 2017, a memorial plaque was placed in Albert Agarunov's house in Amirjan settlement of Surakhani district. In 2020, a monument honoring him, including a giant statue of Agarunov, was unveiled in Baku.

Awards

Qızıl Ulduz medalı (Azərbaycanın Milli Qəhrəmanı) - lent

(1992) —

(2014) — "Son of the Fatherland" order * Hazi Aslanov Order of Azerbaijan

(2016) —

Hazi Aslanov Hazi Aslanov ( az, Həzi Əhəd oğlu Aslanov; russian: Ази Агад оглы Асланов; commonly described as Azi Aslanov and A. A. Aslanov,Aleksander A. Maslov, David M. Glantz, ''Fallen Soviet Generals: Soviet General Officers Killed i ...

medal

References

External links

A Jewish Warrior in a Muslim Land
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agarunov, Albert 1969 births 1992 deaths Military personnel from Baku Azerbaijani military personnel of the Nagorno-Karabakh War Azerbaijani military personnel killed in action Azerbaijani Jews Mountain Jews National Heroes of Azerbaijan