Why Doesn’t Onik Gasparyan Speak? We Have Had 4,000 Casualties. Are You Taking Responsibility or Not? - Samvel Babayan

It was not possible to prevent the war; I have been saying since 2013 that Azerbaijan was preparing for war, while the Armenian side lived in hope that the great powers would not allow a war. This was stated by former Secretary of the National Security Council of Artsakh, Samvel Babayan, during a broadcast on Public TV.

When asked whether orders were given in the command post, whether they were managed from Yerevan, Samvel Babayan said that two individuals had given the orders: “There is Jalal Harutyunyan and the current commander; they alone gave the orders. The arrogance in these people was so great, their jealousy, not understanding that people died. If Jalal Harutyunyan or the others do not agree with my words, let them say. There is a commander, both are alive and well; you cannot even ask the artillery chief, 'Can this shell be fired without coordinating it with them?' Why were those people not speaking, why are they not telling the truth? Now I say, 'Guys, either tear off your epaulettes, starting from the chief of the staff here, or like men come out, tell the truth, say, 'Yes, we lost, we did not plan for this;' what are you going to solve with silence? Anyway, the investigation will come to your door. No one in that staff could give orders.'

When asked why retired generals were not allowed to help, Samvel Babayan said, 'As far as I know, for example, Seyran Ohanyan's story, who says they were not allowed, on the third or fourth day the president of Artsakh said, 'No one goes to the bunker because the commander is against it, saying you are interfering.' Now I say, bring the president to the investigation; let them come and say they were not allowed to go, save the nation; why, why didn't Jalal Harutyunyan and Mikael Arzumanyan feel their need? In my opinion, they considered they knew better.'

Samvel Babayan asked why Onik Gasparyan is not speaking; he must speak: 'We have had 4,000 casualties, 1,700 boys... now do you take responsibility or not?'