Seyran Ohanyan

Seyran Ohanyan
Defence Minister of Armenia
In office
14 April 2008 – 3 October 2016
President Serzh Sargsyan
Preceded by Mikael Harutyunyan
Succeeded by Vigen Sargsyan
Defense Minister of Artsakh
In office
August 1999 – May 2007
President Leonard Petrosyan
Arkadi Ghukasyan
Preceded by Samvel Babayan
Succeeded by Movses Hakobyan
Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces
In office
May 2007 – 14 April 2008
President Robert Kocharyan
Serzh Sargsyan
Preceded by Mikael Harutyunyan
Succeeded by Yuri Khatchaturov
Personal details
Born (1962-07-01) 1 July 1962
Shusha, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
Political party Independent
Awards see below
Military service
Allegiance  Soviet Union
 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
 Armenia
Service/branch Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army
Armenian Army
Years of service 1983-present
Rank Colonel General
Commands Soviet 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment
Armenian 5th Army Corps
Battles/wars Nagorno-Karabakh War

Seyran Ohanyan (Armenian: Սեյրան Օհանյան; born 1 July 1962) is a former Defence Minister of Armenia. He held this position since 14 April 2008 until 3 October 2016.

Biography

Ohanyan with David Tonoyan.

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 subsequently served with the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, as platoon commander and from March 1987, as company commander. In June 1988 he was transferred to the Transcaucasus Military District's 23rd Motor-Rifle Division based in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan and was appointed motor-rifle company commander of the 366th Motor-Rifle Regiment based in Stepanakert; he became deputy battalion commander in August 1989 and 2nd battalion commander with the same regiment in September 1990.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, 366th regiment was pulled out of Stepanakert in March 1992 and Ohanyan joined Nagorno-Karabakh's newly formed army, playing a major role in the Nagorno-Karabakh war against Azerbaijan.[1] He was seriously wounded in action near Chldran, Mardakert district in September 1992, with his leg amputated as a result (after that he is called wooden foot by the people). Following treatment, Ohanyan re-joined the military. After the war, he was Deputy Commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army from 1994 to 1998, commander of Armenia's 5th Army Corps from 1998 to 1999 and the Defence Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic from 1999 to 2007. Ohanyan was promoted to Maj. General in 1995, Lt. General in 2000 and Col. General in 2007.

In May 2007, Ohanyan was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia. After Serzh Sargsyan took office as President of Armenia, he appointed Ohanyan as Minister of Defense on 14 April 2008.[2][3]

Personal life

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

Awards

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

Armenia
  • Armenia Order of the Combat Cross, 1st class
  • Armenia Tigran Mets Order
  • Armenia Drastamat Kanayan Medal
  • Armenia Marshal Baghramyan Medal
  • Armenia Medal "For the Service to the Motherland"
Nagorno Karabakh
  • Republic of Artsakh Medal "For the liberation of Shushi"
  • Republic of Artsakh Hero of Artsakh (September 1999)
  • Republic of Artsakh Order of the Combat Cross, 1st class
Soviet Union
Foreign

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Seyran Ohanyan Archived 2011-05-31 at the Wayback Machine.. 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.
Political offices
Preceded by
Mikael Harutyunyan		 Minister of Defence of Armenia
2008 – 2016		 Succeeded by
Vigen Sargsyan
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