Your trusted source

Today, June 5, marks the birthday anniversary of Ashot Shahbazyan, who heroically fell while defending the Artsakh borders during the 2016 April War unleashed by Azerbaijan. The fallen soldier would have turned 27 today.

Born in 1993 in Akhuryan village of Armenia’s Shirak Province, Ashot Shahbazyan studied at the local school, continuing his studies at Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy. After graduating from the academy, Ashot voluntarily went to Jrakan (Jabrail) to continue his military service. He had a wide range of interests and practiced sports, particularly boxing and football.

Ashot followed in the footsteps of his freedom fighter father, who had also dedicated his life to defending the Artsakh borders. 

He lost his life on April 2, 2016. During Azerbaijan’s sudden attack on the Artsakh military posts, he did his best to defend the positions and repel the enemy. Ashot sustained an injury in the middle of the heated battles, but refused to abandon the position entrusted to him and fell as a hero. He was one of the 18 fallen soldiers whose bodies were returned to the Armenian side only on April 10.

Ashot Shahbazyan was posthumously awarded with the For Service in Battle Medal of Artsakh and Order of the Combat Cross (2nd degree) of Armenia.

Overnight April 1-2, a total of 19 Armenian servicemen of that positions and the neighboring posts lost their lives.