Ex-Minister of Defense of Nagorno-Karabakh detained on charges of negligence during 2020 war
YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. General-Lieutenant Mikayel Arzumanyan, who was appointed commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army during the 44-day war in 2020 autumn, has been detained on charge sof negligence, Armenia's Investigative Committee said.
According to the Investigative Committee, from October 30 to November 9, 2020 Lieutenant General Mikayel Arzumanyan showed a negligent attitude towards his official duties through neglect and improper performance, "resulting in serious consequences with enemy forces taking ull control of the town of Shushi and its surroundings.» As a result Armenian forces of Nagorno-Karabakh suffered serious casualties and many other soldiers were wounded.
The Investigative Committee says Mikayel Arzumanyan, being personally responsible for the preparedness and training of the subordinated troops, during the organization of defense of Shushi and adjacent regions "did not ensure effective use of combat capabilities of troops and successful completion of tasks within the prescribed time, did not control the implementation of the tasks and did not provide necessary assistance and did not demonstrate firmness and determination in the fulfillment of the tasks set.'
In particular, according to the Investigative Committee, Arzumanyan did not give an order to deploy troops to an unguarded section of the defensive line adjacent to Shushi, did not control the transfer of information between neighboring units.
On October 31, 2020 he didn't provide proper defense in one of the sectors of Shushi and also in the sector of Shushi-Lisagor highway despite the fact that since October 27-28 he already had a special rifle platoon consisting of 95 people as well as two separate battalions of 365 fighters, which were not involved in military tasks at that time.
Arzumanyan is charged under Part 3 Article 375 of the Armenian Criminal Code (negligence in the performance of military duties).
Mikayel Arzumanyan, 49, was appointed Commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army on October 27, 2020, when Karabakh Defense Minister Jalal Harutyunyan was seriously wounded during the war. Nearly a year later, Lieutenant General Arzumanyan was relieved of his position and appointed advisor to the president of Nagorno-Karabakh.
On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijani armed forces, backed by Turkey and foreign mercenaries and terrorists, attacked Nagorno-Karabakh along the entire front line using rocket and artillery weapons, heavy armored vehicles, military aircraft and prohibited types of weapons such as cluster bombs and phosphorus weapons.
After 44 days of the war, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a statement on the cessation of all hostilities. According to the document, the town of Shushi, the districts of Agdam, Kelbajar and Lachin were handed over to Azerbaijan, with the exception of a 5-kilometer corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia.
A Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor. -0-