BAKU, September 9
Sahib Shamistan oglu Ismayilov, a veteran of the First Karabakh War and one of the fighters of the famed Tovuz battalion Bozgurd, has died in Donetsk, Ukraine. He was remembered by comrades as “Dılım,” a nickname that became part of his wartime identity.
According to Oxu.Az, Ismayilov passed away from heart failure. His body was transported to Azerbaijan and buried in his home village of Yukhary Mulkulu in the Tovuz district.
The circumstances of his presence in Donetsk remain unclear. It has not been confirmed whether Ismayilov was directly involved in ongoing military clashes between Russia and Ukraine, or if his stay there was unrelated to the conflict.
The Bozgurd battalion, where Ismayilov served, holds a legendary place in Azerbaijan’s military history for its role in the First Karabakh War. His passing adds another chapter to the legacy of veterans whose lives have stretched across multiple conflict zones.
