Seyran Ohanyan

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. 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]

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

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

Armenia

• Order of the Combat Cross, 1st class
• Tigran Mets Order
• Drastamat Kanayan Medal
• Medal of Marshal Baghramyan
• Medal "For the Service to the Motherland"

Nagorno Karabakh

• Medal "For the liberation of Shushi"
• Hero of Artsakh (September 1999)
• Order of the Combat Cross, 1st class

Soviet Union

• Medal "For Distinction in Military Service"
• Medal "For Impeccable Service", 3rd class
• Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"

Foreign

• Order of Zhukov

• Armed Forces of Armenia

• Ohanyan's Official Biography