Haykaz Zaven Mkrtchyan, junior sergeant, artilleryman (October 31, 2000, Yerevan – November 9, 2020, Yerevan)
Haykaz graduated from the high school named after G. Emin. He pursued studies at the Children’s and Youth Chess School, achieving success in various tournaments. In 2018, he gained admission to the Faculty of Informatics and Applied Mathematics at Yerevan State University. In 2019, he was called to serve in the army, assuming the role of a calculation commander. During the July Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, he actively participated in the battles of Chinar. Subsequently, from October 14, 2020, he continued to contribute to the battles of Jrakan, Taghavart, Drakhtik, and Azokh. He sustained injuries from a drone strike on October 29 in Karmir Shuka and, despite efforts, passed away on November 9 in Yerevan at the Hospital named after Muratsan. He had a deep affection for animals and was a passionate football enthusiast, particularly devoted to his favorite team, Liverpool. His approach to conflict resolution reflected his self-reliant nature, often stating, “I am like my favorite team Liverpool; I will make a problem for myself and I will solve it myself.” His commitment and achievements were recognized with several accolades, including the “Best Athlete-Soldier of the Armed Forces of Armenia,” the “Third Class Artillery,” and the “Combat Duty Medal.” Following his sacrifice, he was posthumously honored with the “Combat Service” medal, as decreed by the President of Armenia.
