Artur Mkrtchyan, the First Chairman of Supreme Council of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was murdered on April 14.

Mkrtchyan was the first Artsakh leader who dared challenge the forces who initiated a geopolitical catastrophe.

It was under his guidance that a political decision to start a war was taken. He was one of those Armenian officials who really were engaged in politics and war, rather than the problem of power preservation.

Artur Mkrtchyan was elected as the Chairman of Supreme Council on January 7, 1992. In 98 days of holding his position he made an important contribution to reinforcing defensive capability of Artsakh. Mkrtchyan was fatally shot under unclear circumstances in April 1992.