Azerbaijan's National Hero Shahin Taghiyev currently lives in a nursing home. However, the nursing home where he lives is not in Azerbaijan, but in distant Sweden. The matter is that Shahin Taghiyev left Azerbaijan in 2001 and moved to Europe.
Vahid Qazi, a prominent Azerbaijani activist, writer-journalist living in Europe, informed Modern.az that the National Hero was placed in a nursing home in Sweden.
“On November 8, Victory Day – the day Shusha was liberated from 28 years of occupation – we visited Azerbaijan's National Hero Shahin Taghiyev at the “Oxie” Nursing Home. Mr. Shahin lives here after suffering a stroke and a heart attack. He lives with the care provided by Sweden's healthcare and social system, and the attention and love of his children and grandchildren.
We talked a lot, from the tragic and difficult years of our lives in the first half of the 1990s up to liberated Karabakh – until Victory Day.
I told him to recover quickly so we could go to Shusha together; he became emotional.
When we parted, he greeted everyone and congratulated our people.
I also join his congratulations and say, 'Happy Victory Day!'” Vahid Qazi stated.
It should be noted that Shahin Talib oglu Taghiyev, originally from Shusha, was born on February 3, 1949, in the city of Tartar.
He moved to Baku at a young age, and his childhood years were spent in Baku's Bulbula settlement, where he grew up. He attended School No. 208 in Bulbula settlement and studied there until the fifth grade. He continued his unfinished education at Boarding School No. 12. Later, he enrolled in the College of Energy. He graduated from the college in 1969 and was sent to Russia – to the Udmurt region – by assignment.
In his youth, he worked in the energy sector, and later in trade, in Russia and Azerbaijan. Since 1988, he has been an active participant in the national liberation movement. In 1991, he voluntarily went to the Karabakh War, joining the battles as a company commander with the rank of lieutenant.
In 1992, he became the commander of the “Gurtulush” (Salvation) battalion, which was established on the basis of that company. He and the battalion he led showed particular heroism in a number of battles, including breaking through the enemy front in the Aghdara direction.
He participated in the battles of Tartar, Seysulan, Yarimja, and Levonarx.
By the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated June 23, 1992, he was awarded the title of National Hero.
Shahin Taghiyev is one of the first four individuals to be awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan.
In March 1993, he was severely wounded in one of the battles and, after long-term treatment in the hospital, was discharged from the Army with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Shahin Taghiyev continued his activities for the liberation of Karabakh even during the ceasefire period. In 1998, he actively participated in the work of the Karabakh Coordination Council. He was one of the founders of the Karabakh Liberation Organization, and in 2000, at the restoration congress of the Karabakh Liberation Organization, he was elected a member of the Supreme Assembly and Deputy Chairman.
Since 2001, he emigrated from Azerbaijan to Europe, moving to Sweden.
Sh. Taghiyev currently lives in Sweden with his family. He has one son, one daughter, and grandchildren.
The National Hero is a pensioner.
When the Second Karabakh War began on September 27, 2020, Shahin Taghiyev was unable to come to Azerbaijan due to his health, and in October, he transferred 1500 manats to the Armed Forces Assistance Fund to support the Patriotic War.
The National Hero's greatest wish was to visit his ancestral home in Shusha. He fulfilled this wish in November 2023. Sh. Taghiyev, who came to his homeland from Sweden, visited Shusha and shared a photo he took next to the Vagif Mausoleum in Shusha on social media.
He then returned to Sweden.
Ə.Qafarlı
