Pashinyan Learned About Potential War from Radio Intelligence Just Two Days Ago

Just two days before the war, I heard a credible sentence via radio intelligence regarding the possibility of war, stated Nikol Pashinyan while responding to a question from Tigran Abrahamyan, a member of the "I Have Honor" parliamentary faction, regarding when he learned that the country was on the brink of war or that events had sharply escalated, increasing the likelihood of conflict.

"The fact that we are on the brink of war has been reported to the leaders of Armenia regularly. For example, particularly after the non-signing of the Kazan document in 2011 and after I became prime minister in 2018, there have been regular reports indicating that Azerbaijan is preparing for war. There was also a statement made from this podium by Serzh Sargsyan, asserting that we could expect war at any moment," Pashinyan noted.

Pashinyan effectively confirmed that he had information about the potential for war at various stages, emphasizing the need to distinguish between two situations.

"The first situation is when we are in a completely peaceful state while being informed that war is possible, with all red lights flashing. The second situation is when it's evident that war is possible, and there are periodic statements indicating that the issue of Karabakh will soon be resolved through military means; such information becomes somewhat of a routine in the news stream," he explained.

Pashinyan added that filtering the information is also crucial. In practice, every day there were reports indicating the possibility of war. It was only two days before the conflict that he learned about the potential for war through radio intelligence.

"In my memory, it is recorded that two days prior to September 27, there was something communicated via radio that seemed reliable. However, before that, there had been constant data indicating that war was imminent. Since the 2016 war, Azerbaijan has continued along a political trajectory," he stated.

The deputy remarked that there were factors that essentially brought the situation closer, such as mobilization in Azerbaijan or joint military exercises with Turkey. Abrahamyan inquired why the state management system and the Armed Forces were not brought to a state of readiness to secure the country. Pashinyan responded that the Armed Forces act according to a plan of application.

"It is, after all, an institute. There is a plan of application, there are necessary procedures; this is not about securing or not securing. I have been informed about the military exercises, and I believe it is inappropriate to discuss that here. There has been an assessment, and I have also had that assessment and shared it," Pashinyan concluded.