YEREVAN — A solemn ceremony of unveiling monuments of two prominent Soviet Armenian World War II veterans Marshal Hovhannes Baghramyan and Marshal General of USSR Armored Forced Hovhannes Babajanyan was held in the Zorakan village (Tavush region) on Monday.

The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan, the Governor of Tavush Hovik Abovyan, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation of Rostov Region Timofey Subotin, the Head of Zorakan community of Tavush region and others attended the opening ceremony of the Monuments and three stones, which were dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, Artsakh heroic battle and 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.

“In the 1980’s, about 60% of Artsakh’s [Nagorno-Karabakh] Chardakhlu village were forced to move to Zorakar village. But that never broke the villagers’ spirit, as they remained faithful to their traditions,” the state news agency Armenpress quotes the mayor as saying.

“Today, we not only pay respect to our glorious marshals but also bow to those who sacrificed their lives for our peaceful existence. Chardakhlu is a unique village, whose sons had a role in determining the Great Patriotic War’s outcome. And that’s a remarkable fact,” Armenian Defense minister said, adding that he himself is well-familiar with Chardakhlu’s life having resided in a nearby village in 1965-1974.