The Data of the Casualties of the 44-Day War by Communities: Infographics

On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan unleashed a large-scale military aggression against the Republic of Artsakh.

The 44-day war ended on November 9 with a tripartite statement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On January 19, 2022, the Investigative Committee reported that the total number of servicemen and civilians killed in the Artsakh Republic and RA as a result of the war is 3,809. At that moment, the location of 199 servicemen and 21 civilians was unknown.

Although during the war, the Armenian side presented the information about the fallen servicemen, but from a certain moment, it stopped making this information public. The last list with the names of the casualties was published on December 25, 2020.

Fact Investigation Platform approached the Ministry of Defense, the Investigative Committee and local self-government bodies to find out the details of the servicemen, asking them to provide the names and dates of birth of the fallen servicemen.

In response to our inquiry, the Ministry of Defense, the Investigative Committee and some communities (including the most populous Yerevan and Gyumri communities) refused to provide information.

However, most communities provided data on local casualties and missing persons due to the war.

Summing up the received data, the data of servicemen who were killed in the second Artsakh war is presented below by regions and communities. It should also be noted that based on the principle of confidentiality of personal data, we do not publish the list of names of servicemen.

Data received from local governments

Through the inquiries sent to the local self-government bodies, we managed to get the data of 2523 fallen servicemen (including conscripts/volunteers from Artsakh). However, we have been provided with the names and birth dates of only 1,666 of them. 43.81% of them (730 people) were born in 2000-2002.

We also requested the number of missing persons separately. The number of servicemen with such status in the responding communities was 103.

Yerevan

The community with the largest population in Armenia, the capital Yerevan (population: 1 million 84 thousand people), refused to provide the data of war casualties. As a basis for refusal, the municipality stated that it does not keep records of the dead servicemen.

We tried to acquire the information from the administrative districts of the capital, but mostly we were refused. Only the Davtashen administrative district responded, stating that 34 servicemen were killed during the war.

Aragatsotn region

Among the large communities of Aragatsotn region with a population of 263,000, only the city of Ashtarak refused to provide data on servicemen who were killed in the war.

31 people were killed from Aparan enlarged community, 6 from Tsaghkahovit, 39 from Talin, 12 from Aragatsavan, 2 from Alagyaz settlement.

Shamiram, Metsadzor and Arevut communities reported that there were no casualties or missing persons.

In total, there are two missing persons in the region – from Alagyaz and Talin.

Ararat region

37 soldiers were killed from Ararat community of Ararat region, 34 from Vedi community, 98 from Masis, 2 from Verin Dvin settlement.

Artashat community refused to provide information, referring to the law on personal data protection.

171 soldiers were killed in the region with a population of 256,000, excluding Artashat community.

According to the data we received, at least 12 people are considered missing in the region.

Armavir region

38 soldiers were killed from the Armavir community of Armavir region with 269 thousand inhabitants, 44 from Vagharshapat community, 20 from Parakar, 17 from Baghramyan, 30 from Araks, 26 from Khoi.

Ferik community suffered no casualties.

Only Metsamor enlarged community refused to present data about servicemen.

At least 25 servicemen are considered missing.

Gegharkunik region

Gegharkunik region with a population of 236 thousand had 231 casualties during the war.

59 people were killed from Vardenis enlarged community, 26 from Chambarak, 35 from Gavar, 68 from Martuni, 34 from Sevan, 9 from Shoghakat.

15 people are considered missing from the region as a result of the war.

Lori region

Lori region with a population of 251 thousand had 206 casualties during the 44-day war. This number does not include the enlarged community of Alaverdi, which refused to report casualties.

Tumanyan enlarged community had 5 casualties, Lori Berd – 9, Vanadzor – 83, Spitak – 45, Pambak – 13, Stepanavan – 15, Akhtala – 4, Lermontovo – 1, Gyulagarak – 8, Shnogh – 1, Odzun – 9 , Tashir– 8, Metsavan– 2, Sarchapet– 3.

Fioletovo settlement had no casualties or missing persons during the war.

At least 14 residents of the region are missing. Vanadzor is not included in the data, as the community refused to provide information in that regard, proposing to contact the Ministry of Defense.

Kotayk region

Kotayk marz with a population of almost 260 thousand had 368 casualties during the 44-day war.

In particular, Abovyan enlarged community had 123 casualties, Byureghavan – 11, Nairi – 55, Arzni – 4, Garni – 14, Jrvezh – 17, Akunk – 6, Hrazdan – 50, Tsaghkadzor – 5, Charentsavan – 45, Nor Hachn – 38. :

9 servicemen are considered missing in the region.

Shirak region

From Shirak region with a population of almost 261,000, Gyumri, the second city of Armenia, with a population of 157,000, as well as the enlarged community of Ani, did not respond to our inquiry.

From other communities, 55 servicemen were killed from Akhuryan, 9 from Amasia, 53 from Artik, 34 from Ashotsk.

8 servicemen are missing.

Syunik region

Syunik region with a population of 137 thousand had 223 casualties during the war in 2020.

In particular, Gorayk community had 3 casualties, Tatev – 9, Tegh – 16, Kajaran – 19, Sisian – 70, Meghri – 20, Kapan – 49, Goris – 37.

11 servicemen are missing.

Vayots Dzor region

From Vayots Dzor, which has a population of 48.5 thousand, only the enlarged Vayk community did not respond to our inquiry.

The enlarged community of Areni had 21 casualties during the war, Yeghegnadzor – 34, Yeghegis – 12, Jermuk – 16.

7 servicemen are missing.

Tavush region

Of the 4 enlarged communities of Tavush region, only Noyemberyan responded to our inquiry. During the war, 21 servicemen were killed here, 6 are missing.

Tavush region has a population of around 130 thousand.

Republic of Artsakh

According to the data provided to us by the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, 763 servicemen and 72 civilians were killed in the 44-day war.

52 people are considered missing, of which 31 are servicemen, 21 are civilians.

It is noteworthy that Artsakh suffered the highest number of casualties compared to the population of other marzes/regions.

Before the war, during which Artsakh lost territories and part of the population was displaced, 146 thousand citizens lived in Artsakh, according to official reports.

THE CASUALTIES OF THE 44-DAY WAR BY COMMUNITIES ARE PRESENTED ON THE MAP. THE DARKER COLOR A COMMUNITY IS PORTRAYED, THE GREATER THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES RECORDED THERE. COMMUNITIES IN WHITE REFUSED TO PROVIDE DATA. IN THE CASE OF ARTSAKH, THE DATA RELATE TO THE ENTIRE REPUBLIC.

The Ministry of Defense and the Investigative Committee refuse to provide the data of the fallen servicemen, Pashinyan is manipulating

In August, 2022, we sent an inquiry to the Ministry of Defense with request to provide the number of servicemen who were killed during the second Artsakh war, as well as their names and dates of birth. In case of refusal, we also requested to present the reason why these data were published before, but not after the war.

The Ministry of Defense responded only to the first question, referring to the data presented by the Investigative Committee in January. It is noteworthy, however, that the total number of killed servicemen and civilians was included in that data. In other words, the actual Ministry of Defense refused to provide the number and data of the killed servicemen.

We also sent an inquiry to the Investigative Committee. The agency informed us that in 2020 following the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan, 3749 servicemen were killed, and the locations of 183 are still unknown.

However, the Investigative Committee refused to provide the servicemen’s data, stating that “it contains preliminary investigation data that is not subject to publication.”

It should also be noted that as early as in November, 2021, FIP.am requested and did not receive the data of the casualties from the Ministry of Defense. At that time, the Ministry of Defense reasoned that the information contained “state and official secret.” We wrote that this was at least strange as during the war these names and data were published. In addition, contrary to the Defense Ministry’s statement that the names of the fallen servicemen are not subject to publication, the Insurance Foundation for Servicemen regularly updates the names of those servicemen whose families receive financial aid from the fund.

 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in the interview to Public Television on September 30 that the data of the casualties of the 44-day war are not concealed, they are published on the website of the Insurance Foundation for Servicemen.

“The full names of the casualties of the 44-day war were also published there, and we believe that this should be the institutional approach, but not publishing the names of the casualties does not mean… not publishing the names, but the list, does not mean that it is kept secret […] there is an institutional mechanism established by the existing law and that institutional mechanism must publish the cases that have been established de jure,” Pashinyan stated.

After studying this statement of the Prime Minister, Fact Investigation Platform found out that it is manipulative.

Lusine Voskanyan

Map by Sevada Ghazaryan