Day of Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of Armenia (07/09)

On September 7, 1992, the formation of the engineering unit of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia was completed. Since 2000, September 7 has been celebrated in the country as the Day of Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

Engineering troops — units, units and formations of special troops in the Armed Forces of Armenia, intended for engineering equipment of the combat territory, engineering reconnaissance and escort of troops on the offensive. The engineering troops include engineering sappers, road engineering, pontoon and other units.

By order of the Minister of Defense, starting from September 8, 1992, the engineering troops functioned as the department of engineering troops of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, and from April 26, 2009, — as the department of engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

One of the primary tasks of the engineering troops is to clear mines from territories located in the Karabakh conflict zone. In 60 border communities of Armenia, over a hundred areas were recognized as life-threatening, the total area of which was about 32 square kilometers, that is, more than one percent of the entire territory of Armenia.

Human losses are most expensive. Since 1994, 394 civilians have been injured by mines, unexploded ordnance and other conflict explosives, a third of whom have died. Most of them were overtaken by the explosion during peaceful labor — cultivation, grazing, construction, harvesting.

Today, the Armenian engineering troops have acquired unique experience in — during their existence, including combat experience, experience in humanitarian demining, and international experience. This is work in the mountains, and on the plains, in forest or swampy areas.

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