The commander of the Arbat Battalion, an ethnic Armenian paramilitary unit fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, was killed during a combat mission, as reported by a Kremlin-appointed official.
Hayk Gasparyan, the commander of the Arbat Battalion, was reported killed in action on Monday according to Ivan Prikhodko, the mayor of the occupied Ukrainian city of Horlivka. The specific circumstances surrounding his death, including the exact location and details of the combat mission, remain undisclosed. Gasparyan was born in the contested region of Karabakh and was 34 years old at the time of his death.
The Arbat Battalion is comprised mainly of ethnic Armenians and operates as an irregular military unit in conjunction with Russian armed forces. It is part of the Pyatnashka international volunteer brigade and has around 500 members. Gasparyan's leadership since 2023 included recognition from President Vladimir Putin, who awarded him the Medal “For Courage” while he was still associated with the Wagner Group, reflecting his involvement in significant military engagements.
The report underlines the ongoing complexities of the war in Ukraine and the involvement of various ethnic groups and volunteer units supporting Russian military operations. Gasparyan’s death may stir sentiments among the ethnic Armenian community and could influence internal and external perceptions of the conflict, as well as the continuing recruitment and morale within paramilitary groups integral to Russia's military strategy in the region.
