How We "Outsmarted" Putin: MP Brags During Wartime, Taron Tonoyan

Member of the National Assembly from the "My Step" faction, Hovik Aghazaryan, recently posted on his Facebook page that he met with the individual mentioned by Taron Tonoyan, Karen Aivazyan, and learned that after receiving medical assistance in Yerevan, he returned to the front lines. Aghazaryan also stated that he had approached the Republic of Armenia's Prosecutor General to investigate the facts mentioned in Tonoyan's statement and provide a legal assessment; if Tonoyan does not publicly refute his claims within five days, he intends to take the matter to court.

In an interview with ArmDaily.am, doctor and member of the ARF, Taron Tonoyan, stated that Aghazaryan's comments are completely unfounded: "I addressed this issue during the rally, and if you remember, he initially wrote that he respects me greatly and acknowledges my past achievements... During this period, I believe certain documents have been prepared for that deserter’s brother, who works at the regional administration, and now they are likely trying to do something. Let them try, let them approach the prosecutor's office, and let him go to court."

Tonoyan mentioned that he had given an interview to Gegham Manukyan on Friday and revealed more details: "At the rally, I didn’t forget to mention him; I simply forgot to say the most important thing. I brought it up on Friday, when Aghazaryan wasn’t yet planning to approach the prosecutor's office. As we continued our conversation before taking the soldier away, I asked Aghazaryan what was happening politically. He said, ‘Well, the National Assembly is on vacation.’ I said no, I’m not asking about that; I’m asking whether anything is being done diplomatically or not. He told me, ‘Didn’t you know how we “outsmarted” Putin?’ I thought to myself, shouldn’t I be surprised if he spoke like that. I asked, ‘How did you “outsmart” him?’ He responded that our people went to tell Putin that if we lose Artsakh, we won’t need him for another hundred years. Now he’s trying to give an answer to that; he’s trying to defend himself. God forbid, I don’t want to hold him accountable for moving a deserter soldier from the combat zone when the hospital had deemed him fit and said he should return to the front lines. This was all within his knowledge; it is not the case that he didn’t know whom he was taking. Let him bring forth the documents, and let’s see which hospital or medical institution in Artsakh provided that deserter with a certificate stating he had gone to Yerevan. I would be very happy; let him continue his process. Naturally, I say something, and I take responsibility for my words.

It is probably his political team that has pressured him to respond. Let him also respond to how they “outsmarted” Putin. Unfortunately, that was a private conversation and I didn’t record it to have evidence, but he said all of that. And now they are lighting candles for Putin. Every day the Prime Minister happily states how many times they’ve spoken with Putin, which only underscores the pathetic situation, showing that after Putin said that Pashinyan is not a traitor, they all started coming out from behind the scenes. Let him go on his way; I will address this matter in more detail in the near future. He shouldn’t wait five days; he can go to court tomorrow. Even if I am held accountable for defamation, he must answer for moving a soldier from the combat zone without documents or permission."

Tonoyan also added that the details surrounding how that soldier came from Artsakh should be closely examined to ensure accuracy: "And which medical institution in Armenia he came to and under what diagnosis he was treated."