'Last victory' for Armenian people: Ex-defense official marks April 2016 war anniversary

A former Armenian deputy defense minister described the April 2016 fighting with Azerbaijan as the Armenian people’s “last victory”, while criticizing Armenia’s subsequent political and security trajectory.

Writing on social media on Thursday, Artak Zakaryan, a senior member of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia, said Azerbaijan’s large-scale military offensive during the four-day clashes failed to achieve its stated objectives.

“The nationwide victories, as well as the dignified, peaceful and sovereign development of 1994–2017, were not forgiven to the Armenian people,” Zakaryan said, adding since 2018, Armenia has faced “a chain of defeats, humiliation, fear and dependency”.

The escalation from April 2 to April 5, 2016, marked the most serious outbreak of violence since a 1994 ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Zakaryan stressed Armenian forces halted and repelled Azerbaijani advances, with the exception of a small section of the southern front.

He also pointed to strong national unity during the clashes, saying Armenians worldwide were filled with “a spirit of victory and pride”.

According to Zakaryan, 75 Armenians were killed during the fighting, including 61 servicemen — about half of them officers — as well as 12 volunteer fighters and two reservists.

Zakaryan concluded by paying tribute to those killed, calling for remembrance of all those who died “for the nationwide struggle and victories”.