Albert Agarunov


Albert Agarunovich Agarunov was a National Hero of Azerbaijan. Starshina of the Azerbaijani Army who died during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. He was among the last Azerbaijanis to defend their stronghold at 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, who was an oil-worker from Quba and Leah Agarunov. Albert was one of the family's ten children. During his school-years, Albert was interested in music, and he took trumpet lessons. After obtaining a degree in technology later on, he started working at a machine building factory, as a metal turner. His brother, Rantik Agarunov, stated that: "The only thing Albert did not like, was aggression and abusive attitudes towards the vulnerable."

Military service

He served in the Soviet Army from 1987 to 1989 in Georgia. Agarunov was a tank commander 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. He became a tank commander.
Agarunov fought in a battalion, led by Elchin Mammadov to retake the town of Shusha from Armenian control. 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.

Death and commemorations

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 Agarunov's house in Amirjan settlement of Surakhani district.

Honours and medals