An Armenian soldier has been found dead from a gunshot wound at an undisclosed military unit, in the latest non-combat death recorded in the Armenian military. Despite the government forming a commission to investigate non-combat deaths, the number of such deaths continues to rise, with more than 30 occurring in 2026 alone.
Non-combat deaths are a recurring issue in the Armenian army. The Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor reported in 2025 that although the number of deaths has decreased, the percentage of suicides and attempted suicides are still high in the overall death toll. The report also highlights that the causes of murder and suicide in the armed forces are often connected to a culture of military hazing. Although the Armenian government claims that some of the deaths are not connected to military service and therefore cannot be included in army death statistics, OC Media reported four non-combat deaths in August alone.
The Defense Ministry did not specify the circumstances surrounding the most recent case involving 19-year-old soldier Tigran Stepanyan, who was found dead on Sunday, November 1. However, some media reports have suggested suicide as a possible scenario.
On September 24, a contracted soldier, identified only as D.K., was killed in an explosion in unclear circumstances.
On October 10, another soldier, Armen Ghazaryan, was found dead with a gunshot wound at a military unit. Although the Ministry did not release a statement about the cause of his death, locals from Ghazaryan’s home village of Ranchpar told RFE/RL that the official explanation is suicide, but they expressed scepticism over the report.
