On July 28, 2021, within the time range between 03:30 and 03: 50, a group of servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the intent of violating the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia, with the aim of separating and occupying part of the territory of the Republic of Armenia, at the border area of the settlements of Verin Shorzha and Sotk, located in the administrative territories of Vardenis and Geghamasar communities of Gegharkunik Marz (Marz – administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia, Region), used violence against the servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, engaged in the border defense, during which, with the intent of committing murder of two or more persons, motivated by national, racial or religious hatred or religious fanaticism, opened fire from artillery and gunfire in the direction of the servicemen of the RA Armed Forces, captured one of the defended strongholds, as a result of which, a serviceman of the Military Unit N of the RA Ministry of Defense, Senior Lieutenant Hayk Hovhannes Gevorgyan, conscripts (servicemen of compulsory military service), Privates – David Garnik Kocharyan and Koryun Arayik Harutyunyan died from gunshot and shrapnel injuries, and five servicemen of compulsory military service (Privates) received gunshot and shrapnel injuries of various degrees of severity.

The criminal case, initiated with regard to the aforementioned fact at the Military Prosecutor’s Office of Sevan Garrison under Article 300.2 and under points 1, 7 and 13 of part 2 of Article 104 of the RA Criminal Code was accepted for production at the Fifth Garrison Investigation Department of the General Military Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee, a preliminary investigation is underway.