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The schoolchildren of Yerevan Basic School No. 78 after Hayrapet Hayrapetyan on February 16 organized an event as a tribute to the Four-Day April War heroes, with three of those heroes - Rafael Krpeyan, Harutyun Badalyan and Shuli Hakobyan attending the event.  

Following the performance staged by the school students, the three heroes talked about themselves and answered various questions addressed by the schoolchildren.

“We are not likely to share our experience with these kids, but witnessing the fact that pupils aged 11-12 are already thoroughly informed about the stories of our national heroes and the operations carried out during the war, shows that they are growing up as patriots,” said Shuli Hakobyan, who is studying at the Faculty of Economics at Yerevan State University, meantime working at the Defense Ministry.    
 
The hero claimed soil does not define patriotism. “One is a patriot regardless of age and gender,” he says.

“The military service greatly changes your life, making you more mature and wise, but the most important thing is to be willing to gain something from it,” said Harutyun Badalyan, who is studying at the Department of Management of the Armenian State University of Economics.

According to Rafael Krpeyan, an Armenian soldier who heroically fought in Talish during the 2016 April War and destroyed some of the Azerbaijani tanks, said they were also inspired by the Armenian heroes and the stories around them as a kid. Rafayel, who is a student at the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sport, has been deeply impressed by Armenian National Hero Tatul Krpeyan, who was his uncle.

Asked what they were thinking about before engaging in military operations, the boys stated there is no time to think during warfare; one just needs to act, with no way back. They noted fear is a natural feeling, but one should never allow the fear to overpower them and should simply not fear death.  

“During the [military] operations, overthinking can hinder you. Seconds decide the outcome of a battle. At that moment, the only thing you should think about needs to be the one that you can handle any situation,” Shuli says.

Asked what makes a soldier move forward in a warfare, Harutyun Badalyan said: “It does not happen overnight. It is the result of being raised as a patriot from the early childhood. You know your history; you know how much blood has been shed for that land and why you should defend it.”

Shuli Hakobyan went on to say that the difference between the Armenian soldiers and the ones of adversary stems from the fact that Armenians are conscious and know what they are fighting for.

“True, there has not been an opportunity to ask a solder of the adversary what he is fighting for, but their actions show that they are not aware of the things they are fighting for. If someone has to fight for his fatherland in exchange for money, everything is already clear. At the moment, your consciousness subsumes the desire for revenge, and you realize that we have paid a very high price for our lands,” the hero stated.

The school students also discussed warfare strategy-related issues with the heroes and had all their questions answered. At the end of the event, the boys received booklets featuring compositions dedicated to the April War heroes written by the schoolchildren.