6 servicemen and one officer hospitalized with injuries: Prosecutor's Office

On January 19, 2023, at 05:15, a report was received by the military police department in Vardenis from the N military unit of the Republic of Armenia's Ministry of Defense. It stated that on the same day, around 01:30, a fire had broken out inside a building located in the village of Azat in Gegharkunik Province, where soldiers were attempting to light a stove with gasoline.

As a result of the fire, 15 conscript servicemen lost their lives. Six other conscript servicemen and one officer were hospitalized with injuries around 02:00 at the Gegharkunik field hospital.

On January 19, 2023, documents were sent to the Investigative Committee's Military Investigative Department's 5th field investigative division, citing the presence of elements of a crime under part 4 of article 532 of the RA Criminal Code for further investigation.

Prosecutors from the Sevan garrison's military prosecutor's office and investigators from the 5th field investigative division of the RA Investigative Committee are on-site. The Military Prosecutor of Armenia, Deputy Attorney General Grigor Elizbaryan, has also arrived at the scene. Necessary actions are being taken at the site to fully ascertain the circumstances of the incident.