Nineteen-Year-Old Armenian Serviceman Killed Under Unclear Circumstances

STEPANAKERT, NKR (A.W.)—Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) Defense Army serviceman Lernik Osyan (b. 1998) sustained a fatal gunshot wound at around 11:45 a.m. on Feb. 18, under still-unclear circumstances. According to a press statement released by the NKR Defense Ministry, the incident occurred at a military unit in the southern direction of the NKR Line of Contact (LoC).

This unconfirmed photograph of Osyan began circulating online shortly after the news regarding his death was released. (Photo: Shamshyan)

“An investigation has been launched to find out the details regarding the incident,” read a part of the statement, in which the NKR Defense Ministry expressed their condolences and support to Osyan’s friends, family members, and fellow servicemen.

Nineteen-year-old Osyan was the only child of a family from Odzun village in Armenia’s Lori region. Speaking to Yerevan-based news outlet News.am, Odzun mayor Arsen Titanyan said that Osyan was in the village a week ago on holiday leave. “He was here a week ago. His spirits were high. We wasn’t complaining about [life in the] army,” Titanyan said.

According to Titanyan, Osyan came from an impoverished family and first reported to duty in early 2016. He was carrying out his manditory military service.

The Armenian Weekly will be following the story and provide updates as details become available.

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