One Day He Says One Thing, the Next Day Something Completely Different: Hakobyan on Pashinyan's Statement About the "Su-30CM"

Moses Hakobyan, a former head of the Armed Forces General Staff, commented on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's recent statement during a meeting with residents of the Ohanyan community in the Aragatsotn region. Pashinyan claimed that they had purchased "Su-30" aircraft but had not acquired missiles for them before the war. Hakobyan stated, "He had to confirm what I said; what else could he do? How can they deny the truth?"

Earlier that same year, Pashinyan had said, "Our Su-30CMs conducted their first training flights with ‘combat hits’ yesterday, testing air-to-ground missiles for ‘attack operations’. All targets were hit with high accuracy." When asked why Pashinyan once again addressed this topic during a provincial visit, Hakobyan responded, "If you have been able to understand that man, then perhaps you can comment on it; but I cannot understand that man. One day he says one thing, the next day something completely different. Contradictory. Everything I said is backed by facts. I did not say anything off the top of my head. I am not the type of person who sees a dream at night and gets up in the morning to make announcements. Everything is supported by documents."

When asked about the reason for the criminal case against him, he noted, "A criminal case was initiated on charges of abuse of official position." Hakobyan is also unaware of the current status of the case against him.

It is worth recalling that immediately after the war, Hakobyan stated that the Su-30SM fighters procured from Russia were without ammunition, as Russia does not sell air-to-air missiles with a range of 130 km to any other country, which is why our Su-30s were not used during the war. This was followed by a denial from the Ministry of Defense and then the initiation of a criminal case against Hakobyan.

Moreover, after Hakobyan's revelations, the Ministry of Defense labeled his observations as "extremely dangerous" and the publication of "highly classified" information. The statement also remarked, "Hakobyan's claim that the Su-30SMs do not have missiles is a blatant lie. Those aircraft are weapons that were supposed to be converted into capabilities. The process was carried out before the war and was summarized during the days of the war."