Shushi Liberation Day: Difference between revisions

'''[[Shushi]] Liberation Day''' ({{LangLangx|amhy|Շուշիի ազատագրման օրը|translit=Shushii azatagrman ory}}) is a national holiday celebrated in [[Armenia]] and formerly in the unrecognizedself-proclaimed Nagorno[[Republic Kharabakhof Artsakh]]. It is commemorated on both 8 and 9 May as a way to celebrate the anniversary of the [[Capture of ShushaShushi]] and the [[Siege of Stepanakert]] (referred to commonly by Armenians as the '''Liberation of Shushi''') from [[Azerbaijani Armed Forces|Azerbaijani forces]] in 1992. Being both former [[Republics of the Soviet Union|Soviet republics]], the holiday also commemorates the traditional [[Victory Day (9 May)|Victory Day celebrations on 9 May]], commemorating the surrender of [[Nazi Germany]] at the end of the [[Great Patriotic War]] in 1945. The holiday serves as the official holiday of the [[Artsakh Defence Army|Artsakh Defense Army]], which was established on this day.

The 2005 celebrations marked the 60th anniversary of the war.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Liberation of Shushi End of WWII Cause for Celebrations in Armenia|url=http://asbarez.com/52157/liberation-of-shushi-end-of-wwii-cause-for-celebrations-in-armenia/|date=2005-05-09|website=Asbarez.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-08}}</ref> President [[Robert KocharianKocharyan]] was in Moscow during the celebrations to attend the [[2005 Moscow Victory Day Parade|Victory Day Parade]] on [[Red Square]].

The 2007 celebrations marked the fifteenth anniversary of the town's capture. The festivities included a [[cross-country marathon]] organized by the youth wing of the [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]] that began inside Armenia and ended in ShushaShushi on the eve of 9 May. In Armenia, the then Prime Minister [[Serzh Sargsyan]] inaugurated a square named after ShushaShushi.

The 2020 celebrations in honor of the 28th anniversary and the 75th anniversary were cancelled by order of Prime Minister [[Nikol Pashinyan]] due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=No mass events on Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day|url=https://en.armradio.am/2020/04/11/no-mass-events-on-armenian-genocide-commemoration-day/|date=2020-04-11|website=Public Radio of Armenia|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Armenia: Some Businesses to Reopen; No April 24 Public Commemoration|url=https://hetq.am/en/article/115827|website=Hetq.am|date=11 April 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}}</ref> A fly past of the [[Armenian Air Force]] and the [[Russian 102nd Military Base]] was held at the [[Mother Armenia]] monument.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Planes fly past Mother Armenia statue ahead of Victory Day|url=https://en.armradio.am/2020/05/08/planes-fly-past-mother-armenia-statue-ahead-of-victory-day/|date=2020-05-08|website=Public Radio of Armenia|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-08}}</ref> In a ceremony that preceded the parade, 6 veterans of war were driven to the airport, where they handed the banners of 6 Armenian [[Red Army]] regiments to the pilots participating in the flypast.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://massispost.com/2020/05/armenia-and-artsakh-celebrate-victory-day-and-shushi-liberation/|title=Armenia and Artsakh Celebrate Victory Day and Shushi Liberation • MassisPost|date=May 10, 2020}}</ref> President [[Armen Sarkissian]] hosted the war leader [[Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan]] at his residence, saying that he is "the symbol of Shushi Liberation Day".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.president.am/en/press-release/item/2020/05/08/President-Armen-Sarkissian-met-with-Arkadi-Ter-Tadevosyan/|title=President Armen Sarkissian hosted the Hero of Artsakh Arkadi Ter-Tadevossian: You are the symbol of Shushi Liberation Day - Press releases - Updates - The President of the Republic of Armenia|website=www.president.am}}</ref>

The 2021 celebrations were the first to not have been held in Shushi.<ref>{{Cite web|last=LLC|first=Helix Consulting|title=Շուշիի ազատագրման օրը՝ առանց Շուշի. օրվա համար նախատեսված ծրագիր դեռ չկա, քննարկումներ են ընթանում - Այսօր`' թարմ լուրեր Հայաստանից|url=https://www.aysor.am/am/news/2021/04/27/%D5%87%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B7%D5%AB-%D5%AE%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%A3%D5%AB%D6%80/1827522|access-date=2021-05-08|website=www.aysor.am|language=en}}</ref> On 8 May, Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan, who passed awaydied earlier that year, was posthumously named National Hero of Armenia.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Major-General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan posthumously named National Hero of Armenia|url=https://en.armradio.am/2021/05/08/major-general-arkady-ter-tadevosyan-posthumously-named-national-hero-of-armenia/}}</ref> Prime Minister Pashinyan also awarded Ter-Tadevosyan with the Order of the Motherland, which he handed over to his son Hayk Ter-Tadevosyan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Acting PM hands over Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan’sTadevosyan's Order of Motherland to his son|url=https://en.armradio.am/2021/05/08/acting-pm-hands-over-arkady-ter-tadevosyans-order-of-motherland-to-his-son/|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Public Radio of Armenia|language=en-US}}</ref>

Since the loss of the city during the [[2020Second Nagorno-Karabakh warWar]] in the [[Battle of Shusha (2020)|Battle of Shusha]], there were questions in Armenian society over the continued celebration of the holiday. Former Prime Minister of Artsakh [[Anushavan Danielyan]] wrote in an op-ed that celebrating the holiday "with a capitulator who surrendered Shushi", referring to Prime Minister Pashinyan, is "tantamount to double humiliation of our people."<ref>{{Cite web|last=LLC|first=Helix Consulting|title=«"Встречать День освобождения Шуши с капитулянтом, сдавшим Шуши, равносильно двойному унижению»"|url=https://www.panorama.am/ru/news/2021/03/15/Анушаван-Даниелян/2468968|access-date=2021-05-05|website=www.panorama.am|language=en}}</ref> ''[[Hayastani Hanrapetutyun]]'', the official government newspaper, argued in favor of continuing the tradition.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Газета"Հայաստանի “АйастаниՀանրապետություն" Анрапетутюн”:օրաթերթ. ВоՀանուն имяհայոց грядущихգալիք армянских победհաղթանակների|url=https://armenpress.am/rusarm/news/1050714.html|access-date=2021-05-05|website=armenpress.am|language=ruhy}}</ref> MP [[Sasun Mikayelyan]] speculated that clashes could occur should Pashinyan arrive at [[Yerablur Military Pantheon]] on the day of liberation of Shushi.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yerevan.today: Armenia ruling party MP advises acting PM to not go to Yerablur Military Pantheon on May 9|url=https://news.am/eng/news/642722.html|access-date=2021-05-08|website=news.am|language=en}}</ref> In his congratulatory message on the holiday, Pashinyan declared that although the nation "mourn the captivity of Shushi", Armenians must celebrate the holiday as it "is one of the glorious chapters in Armenia’s modern history".<ref>{{Cite web|title=We mourn the captivity of Shushi, but must celebrate its Liberation Day – Nikol Pashinyan|url=https://en.armradio.am/2021/05/09/we-mourn-the-captivity-of-shushi-but-must-celebrate-its-liberation-day-nikol-pashinyan/|access-date=2021-05-11|website=Public Radio of Armenia|language=en-US}}</ref>

The Liberation Day Parade is the [[military parade]] in [[Stepanakert]] that marks the anniversary of the capture, held on 9 May. It is organized by the [[Ministry of Defence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic(Artsakh)|Ministry of Defence]] and usually lasts an hour and 45 minutes. The parade normally takes place every five years on [[Renaissance Square, Stepanakert|Renaissance Square]] and it showcases the defense capability of the defense army. Over the years the parade was fitted to resemble the quinquennial [[Independence Day (Armenia)|Independence Day parade]] in [[Yerevan]]. The following parades have historically been held:

* 1995 - The first parade in honor of the holiday was held in 1995, which celebrated the 3rd anniversary of both holidays. The parade also coincided with the [[Golden jubilee|golden jubilee (50th anniversary)]] of the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Great Patriotic War]], which was celebrated with military parades in all former Soviet republics (excluding the [[Baltic states]]).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Parade in 1995, Stepanakert.|url=https://englishar.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/nagorno-karabakh-defense-army/arc7/#main|date=2011-04-06|website=Marut Vanyan|access-date=2017-08-07}}</ref> The commander of the parade was Deputy Commander of the NKR Army Major-General [[Seyran Ohanyan]] while the inspector was Defence minister [[Samvel Babayan]]. All orders and speeches during the parade were notably given in [[Russian language|Russian]] instead of the [[Armenian language]]. Troops from all the Defense Districts and separate subdivisions of the Defense Army passed through the central square.<ref name=":0" />

* 2007 - The 2007 parade<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://panarmenian.net/m/arm/news/22108|title=PanARMENIAN.Net - Mobile|website=panarmenian.net}}</ref> was attended by Armenian President Kocharian and Artsakh President [[Arkadi Ghukasyan|Arkady Ghukasian]]. President Ghukasian in particular, honored the anniversary of the Great Patriotic War by noting that Armenians appreciate the contribution of their ancestors who took part in both the Second World War and the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Ghukasyan also reiterated the point that the citizens of the republic would have the final say over their future in peace talks with [[Azerbaijan]].<ref>Danielyan, Emin. "[http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2007/05/9F3BFB8D-515C-4AF9-91B2-CEB3022BB903.asp Karabakh Leader Demands ‘Final Say’ In Peace Talks]." ''[[RFE/RL]]''. May 9, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007.</ref> The parade was commanded by the Colonel General [[Seyran Ohanyan]] and his deputy Major General [[Movses Hakobyan]]. It took place with the participation of troops and troops, as well as with the participation of a large number of foreign guests (from the [[United States]], [[France]], [[Russia]] and other countries). Contingents included those from the [[Kristapor Ivanyan Military College]], veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and members of the [[Artsakh Freedom Fighters Union]].

* 2012 - Celebrated the 20th anniversary of the liberation and the 67th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. The [[Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia]] (led by Colonel [[Armen Poghosyan (military musician)|Armen Poghosyan]]) and the [[Honour Guard BattalionCompany (Armenia)|Honour Guard Battalion of the Armenian Ministry of Defense]] (led by Lieutenant Colonel Sokrat Vardanyan) took part in the parade, with the band playing ''[[Azat u ankakh Artsakh]]'' (the national anthem) in the middle of the parade and the guards performing an [[exhibition drill]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mediamax.am/am/news/armypolice/16784/|title=Զինվորական նվագախումբ. փամփուշտից ոչ պակաս կարեւոր|website=mediamax.am}}</ref> The parade was the first to use [[Nissan Patrol|Nissan Patrol SUVs]] as inspection vehicles for the Minister of Defense and the parade commander.

* 2017 - The [[silver jubilee]] parade also was held on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the victory. In addition, a display of weapons is held at Revival Square prior to the start of the parade. The Armenian delegation was led by President [[Serzh Sargsyan]] and Defense Minister [[Vigen Sargsyan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.am/eng/news/388859.html|title=Karabakh holds military parade (PHOTOS)|website=news.am|date=3 February 2024 }}</ref>

Yerkrapah Day ([[Armenian language|Armenian]]: Երկրապահի օր) is a professional holiday for all members of [[Yerkrapah]],<ref>[http://www.newsarmenia.ru/arm1/20080508/41873597.html Новости — Армения<!-- ЗаголовокThe добавленtitle ботомwas added by a bot -->]</ref> celebrated annually on Shushi Liberation Day.<ref>{{cite web|title=В Армении отмечают день "Еркрапа"|url=https://regnum.ru/news/636613.html|date=2006-05-08|publisher=[[REGNUM News Agency|Regnum]]|language=ru|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=2010-08-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.calend.ru/holidays/0/0/1986/|title=Праздники|website=www.calend.ru}}</ref> It honours all members of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union, which was founded by [[Vazgen Sargsyan]] and consists of veterans of the armed forces. The official status of Yerkrapah Day was conceived after the entry of a law which President [[Robert Kocharyan]] signed on 6 January 2001 and which the Parliament of Armenia approved on 24 July that year.

[[Category:EventsAnnual events in Armenia]]