Merujan Stepanyan was born in Gyumri on January 17, 1993. He studied at School No. 42 in the Mush district of Gyumri. After graduating from the school, he entered the military institute named Vazgen Sargsyan. After graduating from the institute, he started work and moved to Yerevan with his family. Merujan was engaged in painting, playing the Chvi and singing. He received the rank of senior lieutenant for disciplined service in the army.

The commander of the 4th platoon, Senior Lieutenant Merujan Stepanyan, a contract soldier, soldiers Rafik Hakobyan, Agassi Asatryan and Victor Yuzikhovich were killed during the Azerbaijani attack on the contact line on the night of April 2 to 3, 2016 in the Talish fighting position.

“You were living in Yerevan at the time,” recalls Merujan’s mother, Mrs. Nune. “My husband was working at the Vazgen Sargsyan Institute, he called the child to talk to him, there’s a war in Talish, the situation is very bad. I called, I talked, to Merujan, as usual, he was in a very good mood and said: ‘Mom, I haven’t lied to you for so long, I won’t lie to you today, and you believe me, what you heard about, you were worried, it was just sabotage, we sent him away, now it’s just time to rest, we’ll rest. “And Merujes said, “Mom, what are you doing?” I said, “I’m at home,” and he said, “I have to ask you something, go to the church quickly and light a candle. Light a candle so my boy and I are safe. I went and already knew that God was on my side and nothing would happen, but unfortunately it did. 

It was the morning of April 2, already half past nine. Meruj said, “Mom, the night was normal, there’s nothing to worry about, be calm.” I’ll sleep, wake up and call again. And I believed, I always believed in him, because he was always master of his word. I believed that day too, but that belief turned to anxiety, I became impatient, I was constantly waiting for calls, and those calls weren’t coming.”