All Former Leadership of Artsakh Transferred from the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent Base, Tigran Balayan

Ruben Vardanyan has been kidnapped, and all former leaders of Artsakh have been under Russian protection. They were transferred to Azerbaijan with the agreement of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. This was stated by Tigran Balayan, Armenia's ambassador to the EU, in an interview with The Moscow Times.

“Vardanyan attempted to travel to Armenia. They [Azerbaijan] knew what vehicle he was taking to Armenia, so they stopped him and illegally kidnapped him from the Lachin corridor, the uninterrupted operation of which was supposed to be guaranteed by the Russian side. The other former leaders, Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan, were literally transferred from the base of the Russian peacekeeping contingent located at the airport of Nagorno-Karabakh. They had been at the Russian base at the airport and were under Russian protection,” he added.

“Vardanyan is a citizen of Armenia, and I am personally involved in his release, as well as the release of all hostages illegally held in Azerbaijan,” he emphasized.