Colonel Received Information on Possible Enemy Attack During Party but Did Nothing: Investigative Committee

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has completed the investigation into the criminal case initiated against Colonel S.A., who served as the commander of a defense sector of the Artsakh Republic from November 2019 to October 4, 2020. The case was initiated due to violations of the rules governing combat duty under Armenia's law on establishing the internal service regulations of the armed forces and various orders issued by the Minister of Defense.

According to the findings, on September 26, 2020, S.A. organized and held a banquet to celebrate the formation day of the military unit. Present at the event were a significant part of the officer corps and approximately 100 other military officers invited by him. During the feast, S.A. was briefed by the commanders of subordinate units engaged in combat duty regarding movements and concentrations of enemy forces at the front line, along with an increased risk of escalation in combat operations.

In light of this information, S.A. was duty-bound to immediately take action to ensure the entire personnel and resources of the unit were brought to full combat readiness, prepare for defensive positions, and report any developments to his superiors. However, he failed to take any measures in this regard.

Furthermore, on September 27, 2020, at 06:10, while enemy tanks and armored vehicles were advancing towards the front line, S.A. continued to show inaction despite being responsible for decision-making that would activate full combat readiness and detect, prevent, and withstand the unexpected attack of the enemy, while simultaneously reporting to commanding officers. By approximately 07:10 that same day, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched a large-scale attack along the defensive lines, inflicting significant losses to the defending forces and breaching several combat positions and command observation posts, thereby immersing their troops into the rear areas.

This situation prevented the defending forces from effectively regrouping and properly transitioning into defense, failing to counter the enemy's attack, and allowing the enemy to seize dominant heights and command posts, while simultaneously launching offensive operations targeting the rear of the Armenian troops, putting them at risk of encirclement.

As a result, the entire personnel was compelled to retreat, suffering casualties and injuries, with the villages of Talish and Mataghis in the Martakert region of Artsakh falling under enemy control.

On July 28, 2022, S.A. was charged under Article 365, Part 3 of the RA Criminal Code (corresponding to Article 540, Part 5 of the current RA Criminal Code, which addresses the violation of combat duty rules that leads to the failure to detect the attack on the state in time or to respond appropriately). Pre-trial detention was applied as a preventive measure.

The pre-trial investigation has been completed, and the supervising prosecutor has approved the indictment. The materials of the criminal case have been sent to court for substantive examination.

Notice: A person accused of a supposed crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedures established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a legally effective court verdict.