YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Andranik Makaryan, Head of the General Department of Training of the RA Armed Forces-Deputy Chief of the General Staff [(GS)] of the RA Armed Forces, is involved as a defendant in the framework of a criminal case being investigated by the General Department of Military Investigation of the RA Investigative Committee. The Public Relations Department of the RA Prosecutor General's Office stated this in response to an inquiry from Zhoghovurd daily.

In particular, by sending an inquiry, we had asked to provide information whether there is a criminal case related to the 44-day [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war (…).

The prosecutor's office refused to provide any other information about the case, considering it an investigative secret.

Let us note that Andranik Makaryan is one of the four military who did not join the statement of General Staff chief Onik Gasparyan and other military demanding [PM] Nikol Pashinyan's resignation.

This very criminal case is the reason why Makaryan refused to sign the statement of his colleagues, fearing disclosures about him and possible arrest.

He hopes that once Onik Gasparyan is dismissed, he will be appointed chief of the GS, and the criminal case against him will be dropped, too.