Movses Silikyan

Movses Silikyan Մովսես Սիլիկյան
Movses Silikyan portrait
Born	(1862-09-14)14 September 1862 Vartashen, Elisabethpol Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	22 November 1937(1937-11-22) (aged 75) Yerevan, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Russian Empire (1884–1917) First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920)
Service/branch	Army
Years of service	1884—1920
Rank	Major general (Russia) Lieutenant general (Armenia)
Commands held	6th Caucasian Infantry Regiment 2nd Armenian Infantry Division Army Corps Yerevan Detachment Separate Armenian Division Kars-Alexandropol front
Battles/wars	First World War Battle of Bitlis Battle of Erzurum Battle of Sardarabad Georgian–Armenian War Turkish–Armenian War
Awards	see below

Movses Silikyan or Silikov (Armenian: Մովսես Սիլիկյան, Russian: Мойсей Силиков; 14 September 1862 – 22 November 1937) was an Armenian general who served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and later in the army of the First Republic of Armenia. He is regarded as a national hero in Armenia for his role in the Armenian victory at the Battle of Sardarabad.

Following Russia's withdrawal from Transcaucasia and conclusion of a separate peace with the Ottoman Empire under the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, Silikyan and other Armenian generals organized the defense of Armenia against invading Ottoman forces. After the Armenian victories at the battles of Sardarabad, Karakilisa and Bash Abaran in May 1918, the First Republic of Armenia declared its independence. Silikyan received the rank of lieutenant general of the Armenian army and held various top military positions.

Following the Sovietization of Armenia in 1920, Silikyan was exiled to Ryazan along with other high-ranking Armenian military officers, but was allowed to return to Armenia the next year. During the Great Purge of 1937, Silikyan was arrested and executed. He was rehabilitated in 1987.