Seyran Ohanyan

Seyran Ohanyan
Սեյրան Օհանյան
Seyran Ohanyan.jpg
Born July 1, 1962
Shusha, Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance  USSR
 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
 Armenia
Service/branch Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army, Armenian Army
Years of service 1983 - Present
Rank Colonel General
Commands held Soviet 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment, Armenian 5th Army Corps
Battles/wars Nagorno-Karabakh War

Seyran Ohanyan (Armenian: Սեյրան Մուշեղի Օհանյան; born July 1, 1962) is the current Defence Minister of Armenia. He has held this position since April 14, 2008.

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Biography

Ohanyan was born in the town of Shusha, then a part of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union. In 1979, he completed high school in the village of Mrgashen, in the region of Nairi in the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic.[1]

Ohanyan attended the Baku Higher Joint Command College and completed his studies there in 1983. He served as the Second Battalion commander in the 366th Motor Rifle Regiment of Soviet Ground Forces's 23rd Motor Rifle Division with the rank of a major before joining Nagorno-Karabakh's newly formed army in 1991 and playing a major role in the Nagorno-Karabakh war against Azerbaijan.[1] He was seriously wounded in action in 1992 and had one of his legs amputated as a result of the injury.

In the government of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ohanyan served as Minister of Defense. Subsequently, he was appointed as chief of the general staff of the Armenian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia in 2007. After Serzh Sargsyan took office as President of Armenia, he appointed Ohanyan as Minister of Defense on April 14, 2008.[2][3]

Ohanyan is married and has three sons and one daughter.[1]

Awards and decorations

He has been awarded with the medals and decorations of the USSR, Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic:[1]

USSR:

Republic of Nagorno Karabakh:

Republic of Armenia:

Ministry of Defence of Armenia:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Seyran Ohanyan. Ministry of Defence of Armenia. Accessed 10 January 2010.
  2. ^ "New President Appoints Two Key Ministers", ArmeniaNow.com, April 15, 2008.
  3. ^ "Sarkisian Appoints Key Ministers in Emerging Cabinet." RFE/RL. April 15, 2008.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Mikael Harutyunyan
Minister of Defence of Armenia
2008 – present
Incumbent