Detachment of Ossetians Arrived in Artsakh in 1992

The national liberation war in Nagorno-Karabakh served as a good reminder for the Armenian people that there was no one to support them. So it was back then and so it is now, unfortunately or fortunately.

Those nations that were related to us over the last several millennia either disappeared or lost their statehood. We are alone, friends… Completely alone.

But there were also instances of fair and courageous acts on the part of representatives of some nations who were at our side at this most difficult time.

In 1992, a detachment of Ossetians consisting of 36 people arrived in Artsakh. There were 30 Ossetians, 3 Armenians, 1 Kabardian, 1 Russian, and 1 Tatar among them. Some of them would receive the title of “Hero of Artsakh” and would be awarded the Battle Cross. Several streets would be named in their honor in Mardakert.

Only seven of them survived. The rest perished.

A separate story about the commander of the “Ossetian detachment” Mirza Abaev:

“He was the commander of the Ossetian fighters (Ossetian platoon). An experienced soldier, he had fought against the Ingush and the Georgians before Artsakh. He played a crucial role in the war against Georgians.

In 1994, he was seriously wounded. This did not prevent him from attacking an enemy tank with a grenade. He perished but managed to destroy the tank.”

Several of the Ossetian fighters are particularly notable, even though every member of the group contributed greatly to the cause:

• Aslan Gateyev. As a tank commander, he put 10 tanks of the opponent out of action in the battles for Lachin.
• George Valiev, a rocket launcher operator.
• Oleg Gusov. A native of Tskhinvali. Received the “For courage” decoration.
• Nurmagomed Budaev. “Hero of Artsakh”. It is known that he died in captivity. He was tortured, blinded, and then shot.
• Boris Aliyev. He was killed in Artsakh in heroic battles against the Turkish detachment “BOZGURD”. Upon arrival in Artsakh, he immediately assumed the command of a company of the special purpose battalion. From the very first days, his unit battled in the most difficult sectors of the front, namely, in Mardakert, Martuni, and Kelbajar. Boris Aliev was posthumously awarded the title “Hero of Artsakh.” A street in Mardakert was named in his honor as well.
• Alexander Zandiev (Zangiyev). Before the Karabakh war, he participated in the Ossetian-Ingush and Ossetian-Georgian wars. In Karabakh, he was the commander of a volunteer North Caucasian platoon comprising Armenians, Russians, and Ossetians.

This platoon was particularly distinguished in the Aghdam district when the enemy attempted to seize its center. The soldiers under the command of Alexander Zandiev not only held out their positions but also freed the previously occupied villages in the district.

For his service to Artsakh, Captain Alexander Zandiev was awarded the Order of the Fighting Cross of the first degree.

All their names are included in the glorious history of Artsakh. These men immortalized their names in the Armenian land, and this land along with its people will never forget them.

According to the materials of the HAYASA group