The centuries-old relations between Armenia and Russia will not cancel any attempts to rewrite history. This was stated by Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin at the monument to the “Heroes of Oshakan” at a solemn event on the occasion of the 197th anniversary of the Battle of Oshakan in memory of Russian soldiers and Armenian volunteers who defended the Mother See of Echmiadzin.
The event was organized by the Russian Embassy in Armenia together with the Russian House in Yerevan and the administration of the Armavir region.
“Russia sincerely values friendship with Armenia. Our fraternal peoples are bound by centuries-old cultural and civilizational ties and spiritual closeness. This fact will not be undone by any attempts to rewrite history. Despite the fact that the paragraph about the Battle of Oshakan was removed from the new Armenian history textbook for the 8th grade, you and I will always remember and honor the heroes of those memorable days,” the ambassador said.
He stressed that August 17, 1827, is forever inscribed in the heroic chronicles of both peoples.
“With all the sacrifices and losses suffered, our defenders have adequately withstood the test of strength and proved that, united by a single goal, they represent a powerful force and can stand and win under any circumstances,” the head of the Russian diplomatic mission said.
Sergey Kopyrkin stressed that the glory of the valiant defenders of the Armenian land will forever live in the memory of generations as the brightest example of true courage and heroism.
“By their example, young people learn such qualities as patriotism, readiness to defend national and human values. It is especially pleasant to see young people here today who are aware of the responsibility for preserving the memory of the immortal feat of their ancestors,” Kopyrkin said.
During the solemn ceremony, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated a memorial liturgy.
In 1827, near the ancient Armenian village of Oshakan (located near Yerevan), a bloody battle took place between the army of the heir to the Persian throne Abbas Mirza and a Russian military detachment under the command of Lieutenant General Athanasius Krasovsky, who rushed to the aid of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church), besieged by Persian troops. The Persian army consisted of about 30 thousand people, the Russian detachment numbered no more than 3 thousand. Despite the huge numerical superiority of the enemy, Russian soldiers, together with Armenian volunteers, repelled the enemy’s attacks, broke through the encirclement ring and reached the besieged Echmiadzin. The Armenian Mother See was saved from robbery and ruin. The Persians lost up to 3 thousand killed and wounded, Krasovsky’s combined detachment – about 1,150 people.
A source
