War veterans, heroes of those hard days are honored all around the world to mark the76th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War. My story is about one of them Sergey Tevosovich Agamyan. Having visited the veteran in his house, whose biography has reflected all remarkable events from the history of our country and Ashgabat, I found myself in special world filled with patriotism.

From the first step in the house, black and white photos covered with tiny net of cracks, which picture Sergey when he was 17, have caught my eyes.

Sergey Tevosovic was among those who fought for Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine against Hitler’s coalition forces when long-awaited news about German’s surrender has come. Together with his fellow soldiers Sergey went to Moscow for The Victory Parade…

• I was born in Armenia in 1926, - Sergey Tevosovich says. – I used to go the school, which I never graduated. Back in 1944, I was enrolled to the army, to the artillery. I had about two months training, after which we were sent to Baltic countries at mobilization command.

We were very young, brave and boldly went to the fight. We had very strict discipline in my regiment. We had mortars, famous T-34 tank and other weapons and equipment. The smell of the gunpowder is the brightest memory about the war for me. It seemed that everything was saturated with this smell.

Gunpowder and armory have made their black thing to the soldier. Being a sharpshooter, a gunner, Sergey Agamyan have not noticed when one blind bullet has lacerated his ring finger on his left hand.

• I have lost the tip of my finger on that day but stayed alive. Have returned from war I served in the Armed Forces for some period. But back in 1948, horrible news about the earthquake, which completely destroyed the city, has come from Ashgabat. My sister who used to live in Ashgabat asked me to come and help. I went to restore Ashgabat from the ruins and stayed here for good.

The medals of Honor, orders and award certificates of the hero were left and Armenia and new life has started for Sergey Agamyan in Turkmenistan. Ashgabat was growing and changing in front of him. He was proud that working as constructor made his contribution of the restoration of Turkmen capital. Houses, hotels, city parks and gardens as well as Ashgabat’s Botanic Garden have been made with his participation.

• I worked as construction foreman for 30 years. I remember how we was making bricks for future buildings by hands. It took long-time to dry up construction material. One – store buildings were erected for one months while the formation of Botanic Garden has taken up 6 years of painstaking work. But today, Ashgabat is beyond the recognition: this is white-marble beautiful city, which impress with its harmony and original architecture.

Sergey Tevosovich was 95 on April 1, 2021. Happy and cheerful veteran lives in Ashgabat with his daughter and granddaughter. According to him, life is the most valuable thing that a human being has, therefore, people have to appreciate every moment, to create and work.

Svetlana CHIRTSOVA