High-Ranking Armenian Military Officer Charged with Failure to Fulfill Commanders Order During 44-day War

YEREVAN — A high-ranking army officer is charged in Armenia with two counts of the Criminal Code in connection with the criminally punishable acts he had committed during the 44-day war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in the autumn of 2020, the Investigative Committee of Armenia said.

According to it, the commander of a defense region of the Defense Army of Artsakh, identified as colonel V.Y., refused to fulfill the order of the regiment commander and showed negligent attitude towards his duties from October 10 to October 13 in 2020 during the martial law announced on September 27, 2020 after the aggressive war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh.

On January 19, 2022 the colonel was charged with two counts of the Criminal Code of Armenia, namely the failure to fulfill the duties of military service, committed during martial law, war or combat conditions (Part 3, Article 364) and negligent attitude of a superior or official to the service, causing substantial harm (Part 1, Article 376). The Investigative Committee said the preliminary investigation of the criminal case is underway.

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.