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Albert Agarunov
Albert Agarunov - National Hero of Azerbaijan
Born	(1969-04-25)April 25, 1969 Baku, Azerbaijan SSR
Died	May 7, 1992(1992-05-07) (aged 23) Shusha
Burial place	Baku, Azerbaijan
Nationality	Azerbaijani, Jewish
Occupation	Military
Parent	Agarun Agarunov
Awards	National Hero of Azerbaijan

Albert Agarunovich Agarunov (Template:Lang-az) (25 April 1969 – 7 May 1992) was a Starshina of the Azerbaijani Army who died during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. He was among the last Azerbaijanis to defend Shusha, which was occupied by Armenian forces on May 9, 1992.

Life

Albert Agarunov was born in a Baku suburb to Mountain Jewish parents Agarun (an oil-worker from Quba) and Leah Agarunov; he was one of the family's ten children. At his school-years interested in music, took trumpet lessons. After obtaining a degree in technology, he started working at a machine-building factory as a metal turner. His brother Rantik Agarunov stated about that: "The only thing Albert did not like, even hate was aggression and abusive attitude towards vulnerables".

He graduated from the eighth grade school # 154 in Surakhani district and received a mechanical qualification at Vocational School. He worked until his military service and helped his family. In 1987, he was drafted into military service in Georgia and served as a tank commander. In 1989, he retired from the army and returned to Baku and worked at the Mechanical Engineering Plant in Surakhani.

From the memory of his brother Rantik Akarunov: His only hate, and even the most hated thing was aggression and insulting attitude towards the vulnerable.

Military service

He served in the Soviet Army from 1987 to 1989 in Georgia. Agarunov was a tank coomander during his military service.

Participation in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

In 1991, Albert Agarunov voluntarily enlisted in the Azerbaijani Army in the war against Armenia to defend the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Agarunov fought in a battalion, led by Elchin Mammadov to retake the town of Shusha from Armenian control. He became a tank commander in the defense of Shusha in May 1992, when the Armenians launched the successful assault to take this strategically important town. Agarunov was assigned tank No.533 and took part in the war with his famous tank engagement against a T-72, commanded by Gagik Avsharian, disabling the T-72 outside of the town of Shusha. On December 8, 1991, Agarunov along with driver, Agababa Huseynov, managed to disable nine Armenian tanks and two armored trucks. During another skirmish, Agarunov managed to disable two tanks by a method called, the "Jewish sandwich" by his comrades.

Armenians offered 5 million rublуs for his head.

Death and commemorations

Agarunov was killed on the road connecting Shusha to Lachin on 8 May 1992 by sniper shot. After his death Azerbaijani soldiers started to name their tanks "Albert".

Commander, Haji Azimov, said that Agarunov left his vehicle to remove the bodies of the dead soldiers lying on the streets, but was hit by sniper fire. Agarunov was killed on the road connecting Shusha to Lachin on 8 May, 1992. After his death, Azerbaijani soldiers started to name their tanks, "Albert." Albert Agarunov, was posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan and was buried at Martyrs' Lane in Baku in May, 1992, attended by both Mullahs and Rabbis. The school in Baku, from which Albert graduated, was named after him.

In 2017, a memorial plaque was opened in Albert Akarunov's house in Amirjan settlement of Surakhani district.

Honours and medals

•  Azerbaijan — National Hero of Azerbaijan (1992)
•  Azerbaijan — Hazi Aslanov medal (2016)

References

1. "Альберт Агарунович Агарунов - танкист, Национальный герой Азербайджана". Aksakal Media. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
2. Video on YouTube
3. "Albert Aqarunov: "Mən müsahibə verə bilmirəm..." – 1905.az". 1905.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2017-12-30.
4. "Azərbaycanın Milli Qəhrəmanı Albert Aqarunovun xatirəsi anılıb (FOTO)". Trend.Az (in Azerbaijani). 2014-04-25. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
5. "Suraxanı rayonunda Azərbaycanın Milli Qəhrəmanı Albert Aqarunovun xatirəsi anılmışdır". surakhani-ih.gov.az. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
6. "Şuşanın işğal günü amerikalı müəllifdən önəmli məqalə". Trend.Az (in Azerbaijani). 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
7. "Milli Qəhrəman Albert Aqarunov ordenlə təltif edilib". Retrieved 7 March 2017.

External links

• A Jewish Warrior in a Muslim Land

• 1969 births
• 1992 deaths
• Azerbaijani military personnel
• Azerbaijani military personnel of the Nagorno-Karabakh War
• Azerbaijani military personnel killed in action
• People from Baku
• Azerbaijani Jews
• Mountain Jews
• National Heroes of Azerbaijan