In April 1919, one of the lesser-known but strategically significant military operations of the First Republic of Armenia took place in the Zod-Sotk and Basargechar (edt. Vardenis) region, along the eastern basin of Lake Sevan.
The region had become the focus of competing Armenian and Azerbaijani claims. Azerbaijani authorities claimed Zod as Azerbaijani territory and, according to Armenian archival documents, armed groups crossed from Azerbaijan while local Muslim communities were encouraged to resist Armenian authority. Armenia maintained that Basargechar and Zod were an inseparable part of the Republic of Armenia.
The Armenian government initially attempted to resolve the confrontation without large-scale fighting. British Colonel C. Temperley became involved in mediation, while Armenian forces were instructed to avoid the use of force unless peaceful efforts failed. When armed resistance continued, the Armenian Army launched Operation “Zod” on April 14, 1919.
The operation was commanded in the field by Major General Daniel Bek-Pirumyan, one of the commanders of the Armenian victory at Sardarapat, while General Movses Silikyan coordinated the broader military command. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Chneour, Bek-Pirumyan’s chief of staff, also played an important role, including directing intelligence operations.
For five days, Armenian regular forces, supported by militia and Interior Ministry police units, advanced in four principal directions: Shorzha, Ghshlagh, Zod and Tashkend. Zod itself was taken after Armenian representatives carrying white flags had twice attempted to approach the village and were fired upon. Armenian troops eventually brought more than two dozen settlements under Armenian control.
The result was strategically significant. Armenian forces restored control over the Zod-Basargechar area and prevented the separation of a crucial part of the Lake Sevan basin from Armenia. The region was particularly important because of its position linking central Armenia with routes toward Syunik and Artsakh and because control of the Sevan basin was essential to the territorial security of the young republic.
The conduct of Armenian troops during the operation was also praised by British Colonel Temperley, who reported favorably on their discipline. On April 24, the Armenian government formally thanked Daniel Bek-Pirumyan and the officers and soldiers who had taken part in the operation.
Operation “Zod” ultimately ensured that Sotk and the surrounding Sevan basin remained within Armenia, preventing Azerbaijan from establishing control over one of the country’s strategically vital eastern regions. More than a century later, it remains one of the largely forgotten military successes of the First Republic of Armenia.
