Young veterans of the April War after demobilization, Jan. 2017. Image courtesy of www.president.am
Young veterans of the April War after demobilization, Jan. 2017. Image courtesy of www.president.am

Often called the four-day war, the most intense period of the April 2016 fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Karabakh was in fact limited to three days from April 2 to 4. Low-intensity fighting, with occasional escalations lasting for hours or days, preceded the April war and continued since.

The first day of April war was also the bloodiest, with the Armenian military losing 36 servicemen at its frontline positions. 22 of these servicemen were based on or near Laletepe hill near the border with Iran, 4 near the ruins of Seysulan northeast of Mardakert and 10 near villages of Talish and Madagis, further north. Also killed on April 2 were three elderly civilians – executed in their house on outskirts of Talish and their bodies mutilated – and one schoolboy who was hit by artillery fire near Martuni, his brother and classmate were both wounded.

6 more servicemen and 1 reservist were lost on April 3 and 20 servicemen and 12 volunteers and reservists on April 4. There were more losses in subsequent days, but active operations – efforts to capture or recapture territory – ended on April 4. For a detailed chronology of the April 2016 fighting click here.

In all, of 77 Armenian military personnel killed April 2-5, 35 of were draftees (mostly 19 to 20 years old), 16 were officers,  13 were contracted enlisted personnel and 13 were reservists or volunteers. The names below are grouped by unit (such as platoon or tank crew) and approximate time of the day these soldiers or officers were killed.

Rank Name
2-Apr
Lt. Ashot Shahbazyan
Sgt. Arman Andreasyan
Pvt. Norik Sargsyan
Pvt. Azat Simonyan
Pvt. Artur Gevorgyan
Pvt. Grigor Harutyunyan
Sgt. Adam Sahakyan
Sgt. Karen Nersisyan
Jr. Sgt. Sasha Galstyan
Pvt. Bagrat Aleksanyan
Pvt. Zhora Yesayan
Pvt. Boris Ozmanyan
Pvt. Tigran Berakchyan
CPvt. Andranik Grigoryan
LTC Aleksan Arakelyan
LTC Roman Poghosyan
LTC Onik Grigoryan
Maj. Suren Melkumyan
Sr. Lt. Maksim Grigoryan
Capt. Armenak Urfanyan
Jr. Sgt. Robert Abajyan
Pvt. Kyaram Sloyan
Pvt. Andranik Zohrabyan
Capt. Hovsep Kirakosyan
Sgt. Yuri Parsadanyan
CCorp. Nodarik Margaryan
CPvt. Hrant Gharibyan
Maj. Hayk Toroyan
Sr. Lt. Merujan Stepanyan
Pvt. Aghasi Asatryan
Pvt. Rafik Hakobyan
Pvt. Viktor Yuzikhovich
Jr. Sgt. Ruben Iskandaryan
Lt. Hayk Grigoryan
Sgt. Norik Gasparyan
Pvt. Vahe Zakaryan
3-Apr
CPvt. Sasun Mkrtchyan
CPvt. Gegham Mkrtchyan
Pvt. Sargis Sahakyan
Reservist Masis Tovmasyan
Sr. Lt. Beniyamin Yeghoyan
Pvt. Tigran Abgaryan
Pvt. Vladimir Alikhanyan
4-Apr
CPvt. Vardan Tadevosyan
CPvt. Harutyun Abrahamyan
CPvt. Vrej Sargsyan
CSgtM Gagik Melkumyan
Sr. Lt. Hrach Galstyan
Pvt. Gevorg Vardanyan
Jr. Sgt. Henrikh Gahramanyan
Sr. Lt. Argishti Gaboyan
Pvt. Narek Mkrtchyan
Pvt. Misha Aghajanyan
Pvt. Artak Petrosyan
Pvt. David Hayrapetyan
Maj. Rudik Movsisyan
CStgM David Gasparyan
Reservist Eduard Aleksanyan
Reservist Sedrak Asriyan
Reservist Armen Beglaryan
Reservist Sergey Danghlyan
Reservist Mayis Mirzoyan
Reservist Yeghish Nikalyan
Reservist David Sargsyan
Reservist Armen Hovannisyan*
Reservist Karo Hambartsumyan*
Reservist Gagik Parsadanyan
Reservist Sargis Khalafyan
Reservist Norayr Hajiyan
CSrSgt Gharib Sahakyan
CSrSgt Nver Simonyan
CPvt Aznavur Balayan
Maj. Hovsep Mayiliyan
Pvt Aram Abrahamyan
Pvt Aramayis Mikaelyan
5-Apr
Jr. Sgt. Vladik Narinyan
Pvt. Gor Kirakosyan

*These servicemen were wounded on April 4 and passed away from their injuries in subsequent days.

Pvt=Private; Sgt=Sergeant, CPvt=Contract Private (professional, rather than drafted servicemen), Lt.=Lieutenant, Capt.=Captain, Maj.=Major and LTC=Lieutenant Colonel.