Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army
Encyclopedia
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army is the formal defense force of the unrecognized but de-facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR). Established in 1992, it united previously disorganized self-defense units which were formed in the early 1990s with the avowed goal of protecting the ethnic Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh from the attacks by the Soviet and Azerbaijan
i armed forces. The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army is currently composed of around 20,000 well-trained and -equipped officers and soldiers and maintains a "constant state of readiness, undergoing more serious combat training and operational exercises than any other former Soviet army."
." Its founders included Robert Kocharyan (the former president of Armenia, he was the first commander in chief of the Army); Serzh Sargsyan (current president of Armenia); Vazgen Sargsyan (Armenia's Defense Minister 1992-93, State Minister in Charge of defence 1993-95, Armenia's Prime-Minister 1998-99); Monte Melkonian
(responsible for Martuni
region); Samvel Babayan
(Nagorno Karabakh's Defence Minister from 1994 to 2000) and others.
Many of the men who served in its ranks and in the officer corps during the Nagorno-Karabakh War
were seasoned veterans of the Soviet military and had fought with distinction in the Soviet war in Afghanistan.
). With the early outbreak of hostilities prior to 1992, Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh began forming small detachments of volunteers, often self-described as Fedayeen
, inheriting the name of the fighters who actively resisted the Ottoman Empire in the final decades of the nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth centuries.
At the outset these detachments were small groups of no more than 12-40 men. For example, during Operation Ring
, Shahumyan was defended by a force as small as 22 men under the command of Tatul Krpeyan
. These volunteer militia
would initially arm themselves with whatever was available, including hunting shotguns borrowed from local farmers and even home-made rifles. In the later stages of the war, these units armed themselves with AK-47
s, RPGs
and sometimes portable anti-aircraft MANPADs, transforming the defense force into a highly mobile and flexible force that was capable of waging guerilla warfare. Likewise, these units initially had no heavy military equipment, but later started taking over large quantities of Azerbaijani tanks and armored personnel carriers that were abandoned on the battlefield. Most of these captured tanks and APCs later became part of the NKR Defense Army's equipment. Improvisation, multi-functionality, creativity, strong-morale, focus on defensive tactics, adaptation, flexibility, high-mobility and a native knowledge of the mountainous terrain are all important factors in understanding the combat success of these small units.
The initial purpose of these detachments, made up of volunteers, was mainly to defend Armenian civilian population, each in a particular village or town. Each of them was operating independently with no central command or leadership. Yet, these units would regularly collaborate in joint operations such as the battle of Khojaly in February 1992 or the June 1992 surprise counter-offensives against operation Goranboy. The increasing scale and intensity of Azeri attacks, the devastation caused by the bombardments emanating from Grad multiple rocket launcher
s in Shushi and the Lachin
, the blockade from mainland Armenia
had broadened the notion of security
beyond the mere defense of a small village. Capturing Shushi and Lachin as well as turning the tide of operation Goranboy became, for the Armenians, not only a matter of security, but that of survival. For the successful conduct of such large-scale operations, the detachments had to be consolidated under a single command of the unified NKR Defense Army.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army's primary role after the conclusion of the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994 is the protection of the NKR from foreign and domestic threats. Though the war ended with the signing of a cease fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the de facto independence of the NKR, the Azerbaijani leadership has repeatedly threatened to restart hostilities to retake the region. Violations of the cease fire along the line of contact are frequent and often result in the deaths of several soldiers and civilians each year. The most significant breach of the ceasefire occurred in Mardakert on March 8, 2008, when up to sixteen soldiers were killed. Both sides accused the other of starting the battle
.
In June 2010, new skirmishes
broke out between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops along the line of contact, resulting in the deaths of four Armenian servicemen.
As for infantry weapon most rely on the AK-74
rifle and older AKM
s in reserve for standard issue rifles. While other basic weapons consists of Makarov PM
pistols PK
Machine Guns and RPG-7
rocket launchers mostly supplied by Armenia. The Nagorno-Karabakh military is deeply integrated with the Armenian military
, and the NKR depends on the Armenian Army
to ensure its survival as an independent national entity. Armenia considers any act of aggression against Karabakh as an act of aggression against itself.
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Type
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Active
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Ground-Attack Aircraft
|-----
| Sukhoi Su-25
| Close air support aircraft
| 2
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack Helicopters
|-----
| Mil Mi-24
| Attack helicopter
| 5
| During the military parade on 9 May 2007 5 Mi-24 helicopters were also on display as part of Nagorno-Karabakh's Air-Force.
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Utility Helicopters
|-----
| Mi-8
| Medium transport helicopter
| 5
| Advanced Research and Assessment Group
of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom reports that NKR Army has 5 other helicopters. These are most likely to be transport and utility helicopters
|}
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(NKR). Established in 1992, it united previously disorganized self-defense units which were formed in the early 1990s with the avowed goal of protecting the ethnic Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
population of Nagorno-Karabakh from the attacks by the Soviet and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i armed forces. The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army is currently composed of around 20,000 well-trained and -equipped officers and soldiers and maintains a "constant state of readiness, undergoing more serious combat training and operational exercises than any other former Soviet army."
Establishment
The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army was founded on May 9, 1992. It created "its own central command and military structure distinct from the Armenian ArmyArmenian Army
The Armenian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of Armenia and consists of the ground forces responsible for the country's land-based operations. It was established in conjunction with the other components of Armenia's military on January 28, 1992, several months after the republic...
." Its founders included Robert Kocharyan (the former president of Armenia, he was the first commander in chief of the Army); Serzh Sargsyan (current president of Armenia); Vazgen Sargsyan (Armenia's Defense Minister 1992-93, State Minister in Charge of defence 1993-95, Armenia's Prime-Minister 1998-99); Monte Melkonian
Monte Melkonian
Monte Melkonian was a famed Armenian commander during Nagorno-Karabakh war. Melkonian had no prior service record in any country's army before being placed in command of an estimated 4,000 men in the war...
(responsible for Martuni
Martuni
Martuni is a province of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. It consists of the branch of Nagorno-Karabakh which juts out farthest to the east, almost reaches Stepanakert on the west, and goes a little past Karmir Shuka on the south...
region); Samvel Babayan
Samvel Babayan
Samvel Babayan was the Commander in Chief of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army from 1994 to 2000 and current leader of the Dashink political party in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.- Early life and military career :...
(Nagorno Karabakh's Defence Minister from 1994 to 2000) and others.
Many of the men who served in its ranks and in the officer corps during the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
were seasoned veterans of the Soviet military and had fought with distinction in the Soviet war in Afghanistan.
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The formal formation of the NKR Defense Army was rooted in the concept of the Jokat (volunteer detachmentDetachment
Detachment, also expressed as non-attachment, is a state in which a person overcomes his or her attachment to desire for things, people or concepts of the world and thus attains a heightened perspective.-Importance of the term:...
). With the early outbreak of hostilities prior to 1992, Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh began forming small detachments of volunteers, often self-described as Fedayeen
Armenian irregular units
Armenian irregular units, also known as Fedayees were Armenian civilians who left their families to form armed brigades. Armenian fedayees were volunteers and, literally, "one who is ready to sacrifice his life" for his people)...
, inheriting the name of the fighters who actively resisted the Ottoman Empire in the final decades of the nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth centuries.
At the outset these detachments were small groups of no more than 12-40 men. For example, during Operation Ring
Operation Ring
Operation Ring was the code name given to the May 1991 military operation conducted by Soviet Internal Security Forces and OMON units in the region of Shahumyan, north of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan SSR...
, Shahumyan was defended by a force as small as 22 men under the command of Tatul Krpeyan
Tatul Krpeyan
Tatul Krpeyan was the commander of self-defance in Getashen-Martunashen district in Khanlar region of Karabakh during the Nagorno-Karabakh war, from September 1990 until May 1991....
. These volunteer militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
would initially arm themselves with whatever was available, including hunting shotguns borrowed from local farmers and even home-made rifles. In the later stages of the war, these units armed themselves with AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
s, RPGs
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
and sometimes portable anti-aircraft MANPADs, transforming the defense force into a highly mobile and flexible force that was capable of waging guerilla warfare. Likewise, these units initially had no heavy military equipment, but later started taking over large quantities of Azerbaijani tanks and armored personnel carriers that were abandoned on the battlefield. Most of these captured tanks and APCs later became part of the NKR Defense Army's equipment. Improvisation, multi-functionality, creativity, strong-morale, focus on defensive tactics, adaptation, flexibility, high-mobility and a native knowledge of the mountainous terrain are all important factors in understanding the combat success of these small units.
The initial purpose of these detachments, made up of volunteers, was mainly to defend Armenian civilian population, each in a particular village or town. Each of them was operating independently with no central command or leadership. Yet, these units would regularly collaborate in joint operations such as the battle of Khojaly in February 1992 or the June 1992 surprise counter-offensives against operation Goranboy. The increasing scale and intensity of Azeri attacks, the devastation caused by the bombardments emanating from Grad multiple rocket launcher
Multiple rocket launcher
A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
s in Shushi and the Lachin
Lachin corridor
The Lachin corridor is a mountain pass within de-jure borders of Azerbaijan, it is the shortest route which connects Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, the blockade from mainland Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
had broadened the notion of security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
beyond the mere defense of a small village. Capturing Shushi and Lachin as well as turning the tide of operation Goranboy became, for the Armenians, not only a matter of security, but that of survival. For the successful conduct of such large-scale operations, the detachments had to be consolidated under a single command of the unified NKR Defense Army.
Post war
2008 Mardakert skirmishes
The 2008 Mardakert skirmishes began on March 4 after the 2008 Armenian election protests. It involved the heaviest fighting between ethnic Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh since the 1994 ceasefire after the Nagorno-Karabakh War.Armenian sources accused...
.
In June 2010, new skirmishes
2010 Mardakert skirmish
The 2010 Mardakert skirmishes were a series of violations of the Nagorno-Karabakh War ceasefire. They took place across the line of contact dividing Azerbaijan and the ethnic Armenian military forces of the unrecognized but de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Both sides accused the...
broke out between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops along the line of contact, resulting in the deaths of four Armenian servicemen.
Officers
- Colonel GeneralColonel GeneralColonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
- Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
- Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
- Lieutenant-Colonel
- MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
- Captain
- Senior Lieutenant (LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
) - Lieutenant (Second LieutenantSecond LieutenantSecond lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
) - Junior Lieutenant (Third Lieutenant)
NCOs and Enlisted
- Master SergeantMaster SergeantA master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
- Staff SergeantStaff SergeantStaff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
- SergeantSergeantSergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
- CorporalCorporalCorporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
- Private 1st Class
- PrivatePrivate (rank)A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Equipment
The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army's equipment consists of infantry, tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft systems. The Karabakh army's heavy military hardware includes:- 316-371 tanks,
- 324-459 armored vehicles,
- 322-479 artillery pieces of calibers over 122mm,
- 44 multiple rocket launchersMultiple rocket launcherA multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
(most likely BM-21 Grad), and - a new anti-aircraft defense system of an unspecified type.
As for infantry weapon most rely on the AK-74
AK-74
The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM...
rifle and older AKM
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
s in reserve for standard issue rifles. While other basic weapons consists of Makarov PM
Makarov PM
The PM is a semi-automatic pistol design. Under the project leadership of Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov, it became the Soviet Union's standard military side arm from 1951-1991.-Development:...
pistols PK
PK
- Gaming :* Pk, or Probability of kill * Disney's PK: Out of the Shadows, a video game* Player killing, player versus player conflict in MMORPGs and MUDs- Geography :* Pakistan * Park...
Machine Guns and RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
rocket launchers mostly supplied by Armenia. The Nagorno-Karabakh military is deeply integrated with the Armenian military
Armed Forces of Armenia
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia comprise two services: the Army, and the Air Force and Air Defense . It was partially formed out of the former Soviet Army forces stationed in the Armenian SSR...
, and the NKR depends on the Armenian Army
Armenian Army
The Armenian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of Armenia and consists of the ground forces responsible for the country's land-based operations. It was established in conjunction with the other components of Armenia's military on January 28, 1992, several months after the republic...
to ensure its survival as an independent national entity. Armenia considers any act of aggression against Karabakh as an act of aggression against itself.
Air Force
The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army maintains a small air-force with a personnel of around 250 men.! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Type
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Active
! style="text-align: center; background: lightsteelblue;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Ground-Attack Aircraft
Ground attack aircraft
Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft with primary role of attacking targets on the ground with greater precision than bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense...
|-----
| Sukhoi Su-25
Sukhoi Su-25
The Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975...
| Close air support aircraft
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
| 2
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack Helicopters
Attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...
|-----
| Mil Mi-24
Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
| Attack helicopter
| 5
| During the military parade on 9 May 2007 5 Mi-24 helicopters were also on display as part of Nagorno-Karabakh's Air-Force.
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Utility Helicopters
|-----
| Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
| Medium transport helicopter
| 5
| Advanced Research and Assessment Group
Advanced Research and Assessment Group
The Advanced Research and Assessment Group was a department of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom concerned with long-term planning and threat assessment....
of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom reports that NKR Army has 5 other helicopters. These are most likely to be transport and utility helicopters
|}
Main battles participated in
- Capture of Shusha on (May 8–9, 1992)
- Opening the Lachin corridorLachin corridorThe Lachin corridor is a mountain pass within de-jure borders of Azerbaijan, it is the shortest route which connects Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
between the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (1992) - Mardakert and Martuni OffensivesMardakert and Martuni OffensivesThe Mardakert and Martuni Offensives took place during the late summer and early autumn months of 1992 in fighting between Armenians and Azeris during the Nagorno-Karabakh War....
(summer-autumn 1992) - Defence of the MartakertMartakertMartakert is a province of the de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Its territory is a de jure part of Azerbaijan, divided between the Tartar and Kelbajar rayons after Azerbaijan's abolition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast in 1991...
front from 1992–1994 - Battle of KelbajarBattle of KelbajarThe Battle of Kelbajar took place in March and April 1993, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. It resulted in the capture by Armenian military forces of the Kelbajar region of Azerbaijan....
on (March 27 - April 3, 1993) - Agdam, Fizuli, Jebrail and Zangelan offensives1993 Summer OffensivesThe 1993 Summer Offensives of the Nagorno-Karabakh War saw the capture of several Azerbaijani regions by Armenian military units in a series of battles from June to August 1993....
(June-August 1993) - 2008 Mardakert Skirimishes
- 2010 Mardakert skirmish2010 Mardakert skirmishThe 2010 Mardakert skirmishes were a series of violations of the Nagorno-Karabakh War ceasefire. They took place across the line of contact dividing Azerbaijan and the ethnic Armenian military forces of the unrecognized but de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Both sides accused the...
See also
- Landmine situation in Nagorno KarabakhLandmine situation in Nagorno KarabakhThe region of Nagorno-Karabakh is considered to be one of the most heavily mined regions of the former Soviet Union. Mines were laid from 1991-1994 by both Azerbaijani and Armenian forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.The United Nations and the U.S...
- Nagorno-Karabakh WarNagorno-Karabakh WarThe Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
- Samvel BabayanSamvel BabayanSamvel Babayan was the Commander in Chief of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army from 1994 to 2000 and current leader of the Dashink political party in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.- Early life and military career :...
- Vazgen Sargsyan
External links
- Important Facts about the NKR Defence Army (Nagorno Karabakh Army). Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Washington D.C.