A woman hit by fragments brought Artsakh with her: Artsakh exodus #14

During the First Artsakh War, Lena Gabrielyan was only 7 when a shell exploded right in front of her house. As a result of the explosion, Lena was hit by fragments, but the doctors managed to save her life. She spent many years in hospitals. At first, she dreamed of becoming a doctor, but then the walls of the hospital became boring for her, and she decided to become a soldier of the motherland.

The petite, graceful servicewoman Lena shared with Alpha News her experiences and emotions and recalled the challenges she had gone through. Showing her scars in front of the camera, she says she is not ashamed of them and does not hide them. These scars prove that she is a strong Artsakh woman.

Lena said that her parents’ house in Stepanakert always met and saw off those passing by, since it was located right at the entrance to the capital. After the last, fateful Artsakh war, the house saw off the Artsakh people who were leaving their land. The line started right in front of it. Lena’s family extended a helping hand to those who were stuck in traffic jams for hours, gave them hot water and bread, and prepared food for them.

With tears in her eyes, Lena notes that she has done everything to delay the moment of leaving her homeland. Her family was among the very last to close the door of their home, hoping in their hearts that it was not over yet.

“If they suddenly say that there is a chance to return, I will run first. We no longer expect to be independent, but if there is at least some status, I will return. For example, if employees of government agencies, say, the police or hospitals, will be Armenians. It is impossible to live side by side with the Azerbaijanis. Several people stayed there out of despair; now they are being filmed as if they themselves wanted to stay, but this is not true.

The Azerbaijanis can deceive the civilian population, but we have seen what they are capable of. There is no Artsakh citizen who would say that they do not want to return. The hope of returning gives us strength,” Lena said.

The servicewoman repeatedly emphasizes that if there had not been an order to lay down their arms, they would have fought for the land of Artsakh until the very end.

“During this last war, my husband and brother were besieged for four to five days. The President of Artsakh and Russian peacekeepers took them away. The people of Artsakh did not lay down their arms and did not give Artsakh to the enemy easily and calmly,” Lena said, adding that in Kornidzor and Syunik they received a warm welcome, but the picture changed when they arrived in Yerevan, where apartment prices were very high.

They received a job offer, but in places no less dangerous, such as the remote villages of Shamshadin and Vardenis. They do not want to “step into the same river” again.