Statistics of fatalities in the Armenian Army in the first quarter of 2018
In the first quarter of 2018, 11 (eleven) cases of fatality in the RA Armed Forces and the NK Defense Army have been reported to “Peace Dialogue” NGO. Two cases have been registered in the territory of RA and nine cases were registered in the territory of NK.
During the period of reporting, no cases of murder or suicide have been registered. Three of the overall fatalities were caused by the violation of ceasefire regime, four were casualty cases, one case was the result of the violation of safety rules, and another case was caused by health problems. In two of the cases, the cause of the death of the military servicemen is still unknown. The cases and their causes are presented below.
Fatalities resulting from ceasefire regime violation
Vache Chilingaryan (January 7, 2018, NK)
The NK MOD Press Service reported that on January 7, 2018, at approximately 1:20 p.m., NK DA soldier Vache Chilingaryan (Born in 1998) received a fatal gunshot wound by the enemy while in a defense area of a military unit in the northeastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani borderline.
An investigation is underway to determine the details of the incident. The 19-year old Vache Chilingaryan was from village Shorzha, Gegharkunik Region. “We were informed that first his friend was shot by the enemy, and Vache went to help him, however, he got shot too, and another friend of theirs went to help him, where he also got shot. Now we have one victim and two wounded soldiers”, the village major Suliko Shoushanyan stated about the incident.
Armtimes.Com requested more information about the wounded soldiers from the RA MoD press secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan. However, no reply has been received.
“According to our current information, the two injured soldiers have received minor injuries and their lives are not in danger”, reported Armtimes.Com.
Hayk Kalantaryan (February 7, 2018 NK)
Grigor Yeghoyan (February 22, 2018 NK)
Casualty
Mher Ziroyan (January 6, 2018, NK)
According to preliminary information, on January 6, 2018, at approximately 2:10 a.m., Senior Lieutenant Mher Ziroyan, a contractual serviceman, died of gas poisoning in the bathroom of his apartment. Senior Lieutenant Mher Ziroyan was serving in Hadrut, NK. He had been an officer of the Armenian Armed Forces for 5 years and a commander of the company. Lieutenant Ziroyan had participated in the April war and had been wounded.
Pargev Saribekyan (January 6, 2018, NK)
On January 2, 2018, military serviceman Pargev Saribekyan, a 19-year-old resident of Hrazdan 19th micro-district, died as a result of a car accident. The Mercedes model car that he was driving went off the road and collided with a tree. As a result of the car accident, on January 6, 2018, the young man died at the hospital without regaining consciousness.
Edgar Yeremyan (March 15, 2018, NK)
Armen Harutyunyan (March 24, 2018, NK)
On March 24, 2018, at approximately 4:55 p.m., in the defense area of one of the NK DA military units situated in the northern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani borderline, a NK Defense Army military serviceman Armen Harutyunyan (Born in 1991/9) died in an accident as a result of a tree deracination caused by a strong winds. An investigation is underway to find out the details of the accident.
Health Problems
Hayk Hakobyan (February 8, 2018, NK)
According to the report of the NK Defense Ministry Press Service, on February 8, 2018, at approximately 2:15 p.m., NK Defense army soldier Hayk Hakobyan (Born in 1999) died as a result of illness in the Stepanakert military hospital (the preliminary diagnosis is fulminant meningococcemia).
Violation of Safety Rules
Hovsep Grigoryan (January 27, 2018, NK)
On January 27, 2018, at approximately 4:25-4:45 p.m., a soldier of one of the military unit of the NK Defense Army, Hovsep Grigoryan, received a mortal gunshot wound in the forehead. According to preliminary data, the fatal gunshot was a result of a violation of rules for handling weapons by another soldier.
No official statement has been released on the causes of death of the two other servicemen.
Harutyun Khachatryan (January 16, NK)
On January 16, 2018, at approximately 1:05 a.m., in one of the military units located in the northern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani borderline, a military serviceman Harutyun Khachatryan (Born in 1998) died as a result of a mortal gunshot wound on the front part of his head caused under unknown circumstances.
An investigation is underway to find out the circumstances of the case.
Stepan Stepanyan (February 12, 2018, NK)
A report was received on February 12, 2018, stating that the Private Stepan Stepanyan died at the reanimation unit of the Central Clinical Military Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia. On the same day, a forensic examination was ordered by the 4h Garrison Investigation Department of the RA General Military Investigative Department to find out the causes of the death of the serviceman.
According to preliminary data, Private Stepan Stepanyan had been granted a leave from February 1 to 10, 2018, which he spent in the Garni village of Kotayk Region. On February 10 the soldier left Garni village and, accompanied by his uncle, went to Yerevan Northern bus station in his car to leave for Ijevan to continue his military service. On the road to the bus station at around 12:30 p.m., he felt bad but went back to his place of service. At around 23:15 on the same day, Stepan Stepanyan came to the medical station of the military unit, after which he was transported to Ijevan Medical Center to receive medical aid. On the next day, February 11, 2018, at 07:30 a.m. Private Stepan Stepanyan was transported in an unconscious condition to MOD Central Military Hospital, where he died at 5:30 p.m. on February 12, 2018.
The results of the forensic examination have not been received yet. According to the autopsy, the forensic examiner recorded cerebral palsy with the syndrome of cerebral pressure as the immediate pathological condition that led to the death. The cause of death was recorded as “coma of unknown origin”.
On February 22, 2018, based on the materials on the case of the death of the military serviceman, a criminal case was filed in the 4h Garrison Investigation Division of the RA General Military Investigative Department under Article 130 (Part 2) of the RA Criminal Code. The preliminary investigation is underway. All the necessary investigation measures for the comprehensive, objective and full investigation of all circumstances of the death of the serviceman are underway.
P.S. The incident has first been illustrated by mass media; the MOD has not released an official statement on the case.
Posted 11 April, 2018
