Gegham Uzunyan, a 26-year-old spy, was a professional military man. During the 44-day war, just a few days before his death, he was promoted to captain and appointed head of intelligence at the Central Defense Military Unit.
It is known that the conscript with his team stopped the enemy artillery column for about 3 days on the outskirts of Jabrayil and fought hot battles. They realized that they were under siege and that 40 people were moving forward. Gegham and his soldiers smashed those 40 people without any casualties from the Armenian side.
Uzunyan’s fellow servicemen also told his relatives that he had behaved coldly and in a very organized manner when their weapons were exhausted during the same battle. At that moment, Gegham and one of his soldiers went under fire and took the necessary weapons out of the enemy’s armored vehicle.
Gegham Uzunyan’s father, Nshan Uzunyan, says that his son clearly and unequivocally decided to link his life with the army, moreover, he had said that he would serve and reach the rank of general. He first studied at the Monte Melkonyan Military School, then went to Moscow to study at the Russian Military Academy for four years. The family says that Gegham was the best student, winning first or second place in various international competitions.
After graduating, Gegham left for Stepanakert to serve. “At that time, he was already married and had a one-year-old daughter. He was in love with the service and had many friends. “In August, he came home for twenty days, stayed and then returned to service,” said the mother of the dead soldier.
According to Nshan Uzunyan, they learned about the war from Gegham. “It was 7:15 or 20. He called and said, ‘Dad, Stepanakert is being bombed, come and take the children away.’ I went out and left. I was with his friend. We arrived, we entered the first basement, they were not there, I called my daughter-in-law, she said approximately where they were, I went and found them. When we came out, there was a swing, the baby started crying and demanding to play with it. I said, dear Arpi, it is a war. But she is a child, what can she understand? She sat on the swing for a couple of seconds and then I took her out. At the end, the child turned around and said, ‘bye-bye, pendulum.” I called Gegham, told him I was staying. He said, ‘You take my wife and child a safe place; this is not your war.”
Gegham was killed on October 24. He had called home that morning. His father informed him that he had volunteered and would leave for Artsakh soon. Gegham told him not to do such a thing and that he would return home in two days. “He was brought in two days later,” said his father.
Ani Gevorgyan