Noncombat deaths expose a deeper crisis in Armenia’s army 

In recent years, problems within the Armenian army have worsened and require urgent solutions. The Armenian army, which is the guarantor of the country’s security, is itself becoming a high-risk environment for its own soldiers. Although the country is not in a state of full-scale war, service members continue to die in barracks — at the hands of fellow soldiers, by suicide or because of a complete lack of psychological support.

Noncombat casualties in the Armenian army have reached critical levels. A report by the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly said 76 service members died in the armed forces of Armenia and Artsakh in 2021. The causes were categorized as follows: 19 from ceasefire violations, 17 from health issues, 15 from road traffic accidents, 11 from murders, nine from suicides and five from varying accidents.