Legendary explorer Gohar Vardanyan has passed away. This is what writer and publicist Gurgen Khazhakyan wrote on his Facebook page.
Gohar Vardanyan was born on January 25, 1926 in Gyumri. In the early 1930s, she and her family moved to Iran.
At the age of 16, she joined the anti-Fascist group of her future husband, Gevorg Vardanyan, and in 1943, the Vardanyans and their group participated in the operation to ensure safety at the Tehran Conference.
In 1951, the Vardanyans returned to the USSR. In 1956, they successfully graduated from the Foreign Languages Institute of Yerevan, after which they started exploring in extreme conditions in different countries around the world.
After 30 years of prolific activities, Gohar and Gevorg Vardanyan returned to the homeland.
Gohar Vardanyan has been awarded the Red Flag Order, as well as second degree orders and other medals of the Great Patriotic War.
Legendary Soviet intelligence officer Gohar Vardanyan will be buried Friday in Moscow, RIA Novosti reports.
Vardanyan will be laid to eternal rest beside her husband and comrade-in-arms, Soviet Union hero Gevorg Vardanyan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed deep condolences on Gohar Vardanyan’s passing.
In his respective letter of condolences, Sergey Naryshkin, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia, called Vardanyan one of the best national intelligence officers; a woman who became a legend during her life.
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian also expressed condolences on Vardanyan’s death, and he will attend her funeral.
Vardanyan’s career in intelligence and her professional abilities are “a genuine patriotism and inspiration lesson for generations, and her role and merit in history deserve to respect,” noted, for his part, former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
