Casualties in the Armenian Army Over the Past 12 Years

The number of deaths among soldiers in the Armenian army remains high. On average, about 45 fatalities are recorded each year, which include murders, suicides, traffic accidents, deaths due to illness, and others. In the short two-month period following the 44-day war, from November 9 to December 31, 2020, 20 soldiers’ deaths were reported.

The 'Fact-Checking Platform' compared the cases recorded from 2010 to the present to understand whether the number of fatalities has decreased over the years.

Notably, the deaths caused by enemy actions during the April War in 2016 and the 44-day war in 2020 are not included in this article. The prosecution office differentiates between service-related and non-service-related deaths; if the death of a soldier is recorded outside the military unit, it is considered a non-service-related case. This article only examines service-related deaths, including suicides, murders, accidents, etc., recorded between 2010 and 2021.

Edgar Khachatryan, director of the NGO 'Dialogue for Peace', mentioned in an interview with FIP.am that he disagrees with the prosecution’s distinction. He argues that it is unclear how closely related the incidents that occur outside the unit are to the soldier's service.

For example, if a soldier commits suicide outside the unit, it is difficult to measure whether that suicide is related to their service, or if something prompted them to take their life during leave. Similarly, if a soldier dies due to illness while on leave, it is challenging to determine if that death is service-related.

According to the data provided by the prosecution, the number of killings by the enemy was significantly high in 2014 and 2015, prior to the April War. In 2014, 26 cases of enemy killings were recorded; in 2015, 38 cases. In contrast, only 4 cases of enemy killings were recorded in 2019, the year before the 44-day war.

Lack of psychological support – a reason for suicides?

During the years of the April War and the 44-day war, a large number of suicides and attempted suicides were registered. In 2016 and 2020, there were 14 and 13 cases, respectively. Edgar Khachatryan believes that the high number of suicides is due to the inadequate psychological support provided to soldiers involved in the wars.

If the state is conscripting citizens and this is mandatory, it must take responsibility for the health and life of these citizens, he states.

FIP.am inquired with the Ministry of Defense about what efforts have been made to provide psychological support to soldiers. In response, the Ministry informed that during both the 44-day war and the post-war period, around 150 volunteer psychological specialists from universities, civilian medical institutions, psychological aid centers, and non-governmental organizations were involved in providing psychological support and rehabilitation in cooperation with the military's moral and psychological service.

Additionally, a government decree on February 4, 2021, established the procedure for the psychological rehabilitation of individuals who participated in the 44-day war and the general public. The selected 'Consortium' company provides psychological support to individuals involved in combat actions under the coordination of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Moreover, the Ministry has reported that as of February 2, one soldier who was returned from captivity is currently undergoing mandatory military service.

Other cases

Regarding deaths due to illness, the highest number occurred in 2010 (9 cases). In 2016 and 2020, there were 5 deaths each due to illness. In the observed timeframe, there has been no year without recorded cases of death in the army due to murder, traffic accidents, or violations of weapons handling rules.

The highest number of cases is highlighted in orange; source: Prosecutor General's Office.