November 22^nd marks the birthday of Leonid Azgaldyan, who was one of the first commanders during the Artsakh war.

Azgaldyan participated in the national liberation struggle from the very first days of the Artsakh movement. Starting from February 1990, he was the commander of the Independence Army and organized the defense of several regions and especially Vardenis.

Azgaldyan was entirely devoted to the struggle for Artsakh’s liberation, starting in Getashen and Shahumyan and later in Martakert.

To bring a new sweep to the liberation struggle, in June 1991, he and Hovsep Hovsepyan created the Liberation Army military organization which, even in the sense of combination of efforts of the Armenians of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora, conveyed new quality to the chain of movements for the battle of the Armenian people for survival, and Azgaldyan remained the commander-in-chief of that army until the day he died. Under his command, 27 settlements were liberated in Artsakh. He was the one who pronounced the following words: “This is Armenia. The end.”