Fifteen soldiers died today in Armenia. Another three were wounded, two of whom are in critical condition. They were not killed by enemy fire. They were simply trying to stay warm.

There’s a sense of powerlessness among the Armenian people surrounded by two states—Azerbaijan and Turkey—whose sole intention appears to be our annihilation. But we are not powerless if we remain vigilant, rational and resolute.

As the Armenian villages of Aghavno, Berdzor and Sus on the Lachin Corridor were handed over to Azerbaijan on August 25, questions remain about why Yerevan was seemingly excluded from that process.

Today on Army Day, Armenian soldiers continue to protect our fragile borders in difficult and sometimes dismal conditions and now, more than ever, fundamental reforms of the Armed Forces is of paramount importance.

This is not a story about war. This is the story of what happens after the bullets, missiles, bombs and drones no longer fly through the autumn air. Maria Titizian recounts her journey to Artsakh last year, two days after the signing of the trilateral statement ending the war.