Change of Status or Dismissal? A Decision will be Made Regarding Artak Davtyan

The newspaper "Zhoghovurd" reports that the authorities are discussing the future management of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces with law enforcement agencies. According to our sources, it is not ruled out that there will be a change in the status of Artak Davtyan in the near future, meaning that he may be dismissed from the position of Chief of the General Staff.

What is behind the authorities' focus on Artak Davtyan? In particular, according to our information, the change in his status is related to the criminal case initiated against former Minister of Defense David Tonoyan.

On October 1, "Zhoghovurd" reported that the National Security Service (NSS) would summon Chief of Staff Artak Davtyan for questioning in the case against former Minister of Defense David Tonoyan and his close associate David Galstyan. It is also possible that charges may be brought against him in connection with the criminal case initiated by the NSS.

Tonoyan and "Patron Davo" are implicated in a criminal case concerning the misappropriation of military supplies. The NSS has stated that both he and David Galstyan, the director of the company supplying military supplies, have been arrested for committing large-scale embezzlement, forgery, and other dangerous acts, and have been involved as defendants in this criminal case. The allegations concern misappropriation amounting to approximately $4.7 million. The details of the criminal case have not been disclosed by the pre-investigation body, only indicating that prosecution has been initiated against other current and former high-ranking officials of the Armed Forces without naming them.

Later, General-Lieutenant Stepan Galstyan, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, was arrested, and he is currently held in Yerevan's "Center" correctional facility, famously known as the "KGB basement."