Defense Ministry denies brawl preceded fatal traffic accident

The Armenian Defense Ministry has denied reports that a brawl among servicemen preceded the fatal road accident near Chambarak on August 19, while reiterating that the servicemen were not running in gas masks.

The claims were reported by Hraparak, which said it had obtained information that the servicemen were taken out of their barracks in the evening and made to run in gas masks as a disciplinary punishment following a brawl among them earlier that day. The publication did not identify its sources.

The Defense Ministry said the accident was not preceded by a brawl among the servicemen and that they did not run in gas masks.

According to the ministry, at around 9 p.m. on August 19, a GAZ-53 truck struck several servicemen on the road leading to Chambarak under circumstances that have yet to be established.

Serviceman Suren Vardanyan was killed in the accident, while three other servicemen were not in life-threatening condition.

The truck driver was arrested, and an investigation is underway to establish the circumstances of the accident.