Seyran Ohanian marks his birthday today

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian marks his birthday today. He has turned 51.

Seyran Ohanian was born in the town of Shushi on July 1, 1962.

He 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 againstAzerbaijan. He was seriously wounded in action in 1992.

In the government of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ohanian 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. Ohanian was appointed as Minister of Defense of Armenia on April 14, 2008.

Ohanian is married and has three sons and one daughter.

He has been awarded with the medals and decorations of the USSR, Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic.