Defense minister acknowledges shortcomings over unlawful border crossing by Azerbaijani serviceman

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has acknowledged shortcomings in connection with the unlawful border crossing by an Azerbaijani serviceman, noting that they have had and will have consequences.

“Of course, there have been shortcomings, and those shortcomings have had and will have consequences. But we can speak about the full consequences after the internal investigation,” the defense minister said in parliament when asked by Civil Contract MP Taron Chakhoyan about the matter.

Papikyan said detailed information about the incident could be provided after the internal investigations and investigative measures are completed.

According to the minister, after learning about the possible incident, the competent Armenian authorities carried out the actions prescribed by law, including search operations.

Taron Chakhoyan asked the minister to also address claims characterizing what happened as sabotage.

Papikyan responded that the Azerbaijani serviceman did not resist arrest. In the minister’s assessment, this circumstance in itself indicates that he was not a saboteur.

Armenia’s National Security Service said last Thursday that it had been notified by Azerbaijani authorities on September 29 that an Azerbaijani serviceman had allegedly gone AWOL and was missing. The Azerbaijani side did not rule out that he could have crossed into Armenia. Armenia and Azerbaijan conducted a search operation. Later, on October 1, Armenian emergency services received a report that a 39-year-old Armenian woman had been shot in the leg at her home in the Shaki settlement in Syunik Province. Authorities determined that the Azerbaijani serviceman was the shooter, and he was apprehended shortly afterward in Shaki and detained.

Meanwhile, health authorities said earlier last week that the woman was in stable, non-life-threatening condition and was receiving the required treatment. She was transferred to Yerevan after being initially hospitalized in Sisian. The Sisian Medical Center reported that the injured Armenian citizen’s children, who were with their mother during the incident, aged 15 and 12, had sought medical assistance for injuries. The 12-year-old child had a soft-tissue contusion, while the 15-year-old child had a fracture of the right wrist. Health authorities said Friday that the children are in satisfactory condition.

The Azerbaijani serviceman faces charges of illegally crossing Armenia’s state border, smuggling military-use products, firearms and ammunition, illegally trafficking in firearms and ammunition, unlawful entry into another person’s residence, and causing grievous bodily harm under aggravating circumstances, including with a firearm.