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Today, July 26, is the birthday anniversary of Azat Asoyan, an Armenian soldier, who repulsed an Azerbaijani subversive attack on the Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line in July 2014 and sacrificed his life for the homeland. The hero soldier would have turned 27 today.

Azat (meaning free in Armenian), as his name suggests, was a freedom-loving young man. In July 2014, while on duty Azat thwarted the Azerbaijani subversive attack in a hand-to-hand combat with the enemy's special forces and stopped the Azerbaijani incursion into the military post he was defending at the cost of his life.

Azat and soldier Ararat Khanoyan died a hero's death in Tonashen, while their fellow soldier Narek's life was saved.

Azat often liked to express his pride in defending the homeland through various notes and photos, one of which became especially popular – Azat's last post before the last combat shift. “In this photograph, I am not so important as the panorama behind me. I am above the clouds, where clouds cover even the mountains, but not me. I am heading to defend the border, see you!” he had written.

Azat Asoyan was born in 1994. He was a student of the Faculty of Law at the Yerevan State University and planned to continue his studies after demobilization. Just 10 days had been left until his demobilization.

He was a private soldier, who died on the Artsakh frontline while repelling an Azerbaijani subversive attack.

Azat Asoyan was posthumously awarded the Combat Service Medal by the Armenian president for his courage and dedication in defending the Artsakh borders.