Armenian deputy defense minister defends choice of memorial day for fallen soldiers

Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Arman Sargsyan on Tuesday defended the government’s decision to mark January 27 as the official day of remembrance for fallen soldiers, rather than September 27 marking the start of the 2020 Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war.

Speaking at the Yerablur Military Pantheon, Sargsyan said the chosen date was not tied to any specific battle. “Armenia has gone through many wars and no single day has been set as their foundation,” he noted.

Asked why officials did not lay flowers at the Call of Artsakh monument, dedicated to those killed in 2023, Sargsyan said the pantheon itself serves as a collective memorial. “We have other heroes as well, and we did not lay flowers there either. It is not possible to approach every grave individually,” he said.

Sargsyan also rejected claims of pressure on military chaplains to join the government’s anti-church campaign, saying no such incidents had been reported. He added that neither his wife nor daughter intended to volunteer for military service.