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August 19 marks the birthday anniversary of 2016 April war heroes Adam Sahakyan and Gevorg Vardanyan . The fallen hero would turn 23 years old today.

Born on August 19, 1996 in Yerevan, Adam was the third son born to the Sahakyans family. Adam was an active, energetic child. As his parents described, their son had always been in constant motion, always rushing to get most of his life. During the school years, Adam already participated in multiple sports and took up a special interest in karate, boxing, swimming and skating.

During his studies at high school, Adam took part in an exhibition, after which he made up his mind to pursue the profession of an architectural designer. After leaving school, he entered the Armenian National University of Architecture and Construction with high scores.

Adam Sahakyan began his military service on 26 January 2015, serving at Jabrayil in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Republic. In the morning of April 1, 2016, he moved to the frontline positions, with the Azerbaijani military launching a large-scale attack towards the Armenian positions on the night of April 1-2. Being in the 112 combat position in Jabrayil, Adam leaded the battle by his unit of 7 servicemen and maintained the position for 4-5 hours, thwarting the enemy and inflicting major losses to them. He struggled to the very last drop of blood and fell in heroic death at 8:00 a.m.

Adam Sahakyan was posthumously awarded with the “Military Merit” Medal by Decree of the Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan and the medal of “Valor” by decree of the Armenian president.

Today, also marks birthday anniversary of another hero Gevorg Vardanyan who would have turned 23 on August 19. Gevorg’s family left for Russia when the latter was aged 6. He was the only child to the family. Upon arrival to homeland Gevorg started service at the armed forces. He served as a machine gunner and  was killed on the night of April 4, 2016, during fighting in the Talish area of Artsakh, heroically thrown back the diversion-intelligence group of the enemy.

For bravery shown Melkonyan was awarded posthumously "For Service in Battle" medals by Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan as well as Armenia’s leadership.

To remind, the Azerbaijani armed forces unleashed a large-scale offensive along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact at the night of April 1 to April 2. The defense installations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army and civilian settlements came under heavy bombardment by artillery, tanks, armored vehicles, multiple rocket launchers, and air force along the Line of Contact and deep inside the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijani Armed Forces, in the course of their recent large-scale military offensive, intentionally targeted civilian infrastructures and civilian population, including children and the elderly. The Azerbaijani military beheaded three Armenian servicemen in ISIL style. Those barbaric acts go beyond elementary norms of civilized world, constituting violations of core international conventions.