A statue of Robert Abajyan, a Hero of Artsakh, has been unveiled at Yerevan’s No. 147 basic school, which bears his name.

The statue features Abajyan’s famous last words before his death: “This post is soaked in my brothers’ blood… They fought here… there was a battle on this land, and now I’m pulling the pin, tell everyone, whoever cedes up this post is a traitor.”

The school’s principal, Margarita Hovhannisyan, emphasized that Abajyan valued the homeland above his own life. “Today is Army Day, and it is no coincidence this unveiling was chosen for this day. May every soldier feel the love of the homeland. Glory to the Armenian Army,” she said.

Sculptor Vahagn Papoyan, who created the statue, described the emotional and symbolic weight of capturing Abajyan’s final moments. “It was likely divine providence that I was honored to sculpt Robert Abajyan. In the sculpture, I tried to reflect the last moment of his life. He had lost everything and was giving the most precious thing, his life, for his land and country. He holds a grenade, preparing to pull the pin and take the enemy with him.”

Robert’s father told reporters: “When I first saw the statue, only the head was completed. Just then, his mother called and asked where I was, and I said, ‘I’m standing next to Kyaj [Robert].’ That’s how real it felt. I’d been waiting for the day Robert would return to his school, sooner or later, it had to happen. This year would have been his 30th birthday, and now he’s here at his school.”

Abajyan died during the Four-Day War in April 2016 while defending a position in the Martakert region. Just 19 years old, he fought alone until his last bullet. When enemy forces approached, he radioed in, announced he was ready with his final grenade, and pretended to surrender, concealing the live grenade in his hand. As the enemy drew near, he released it, killing himself and several attackers.

For his extraordinary bravery, Abajyan was posthumously awarded the highest honor of Artsakh — the title “Hero of Artsakh” — along with the Golden Eagle medal by presidential decree on May 8, 2016.