Your trusted source

MP Tigran Abrahamyan of the opposition Pativ Unem faction has urged Colonel-General Onik Gasparyan, the former chief of the Armenian army’s General Staff, to respond to the Armenian authorities’ latest allegations against him.

Andranik Kocharyan, a senior lawmaker from Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party, said the top military general approved a “disgraceful plan” to use Russian-made Iskander missiles during the 2020 war in Artsakh.

Abrahamyan says the accusations against the former General Staff chief are rather serious, adding “only a very limited number of people are familiar with the matter.”

“From purely political point of view, no statement issued by the incumbent authorities can be trusted by the public, especially since earlier their leader said that the Iskander missiles [used at the war] exploded only by 10%. But in this case, Onik Gasparyan should respond [to the allegations],” the MP wrote on Facebook on Friday.

“Under the current government, it is simply impossible to find out many circumstances of the war, but before such an opportunity arises, i.e. before the government changes, Onik Gasparyan and other retired army officers should repeatedly respond to the authorities’ accusations and simply speak the truth.

“I know perfectly well that the vast majority of military personnel consider it pointless to speak publicly and be engaged in public debates, they don't see themselves in that role, but it’s high time to speak up. Don't support us, but at least protect yourself!” he noted.