Armenian President meets bereaved relatives of army soldiers

After the awarding ceremony of military workers, RA President Serzh Sargsyan while being photographed in a group photo, went to a crowd of relatives of soldiers who died, during their obligatory service in Armenian State Army.

The Armenian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of Armenia and consists of the ground forces responsible for the country's land-based operations. It was established in conjunction with the other components of Armenia's military on January 28, 1992, several months after the republic declared its independence from the Soviet Union. The army's first head was the former deputy commander-in-chief of the Soviet Ground Forces, Norat Ter-Grigoryants.

In compliance with its strategic allies, Armenia has sent over 1,500 officers to be trained in Greece and Russia. Since the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh War, Armenia has committed many elements of the army to help bolster the defense and defend the unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh from a possible renewal of hostilities with neighboring Azerbaijan. Jane's World Armies reports that both conscripts and officers from Armenia are routinely sent for duty to Karabakh, often posted to the frontline between Karabakh Armenian and Azerbaijani forces.

Photographed by Tigran Mehrabyan/ PanARMENIAN Photo