Detention of ex-Minister of State of Karabakh Vardanyan. What is known

On September 27, on the border of Azerbaijan, while trying to travel from Karabakh to Armenia, the former minister of state of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Ruben Vardanyan was detained. About it reported press service of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan, publishing a photo.

“September 27 <...> “Ruben Karlenovich Vardanyan, born in 1968, who entered the country illegally and worked as the so-called “state minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” was detained at the exit point from the state border “Lachin” while moving from the Republic of Azerbaijan in the direction of Armenia,” the statement says. message.

It is clarified that Vardanyan was taken to Baku and handed over to “the relevant government authorities to make an appropriate decision.”

Previously Vardanyan’s representative stated Vedomosti reports that she has no information about her arrest. The Kremlin does not have such data either, said Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov. “He is a Russian citizen, he has Russian citizenship, so one way or another we must receive information if there has been any detention. This is common practice. And of course, we will protect his rights,” he emphasized.

In September 2022, Vardanyan announced his decision to renounce Russian citizenship and move to Nagorno-Karabakh. Vardanyan’s move explained a desire to support local residents who are “in a difficult psychological state.”

The Kremlin did not comment on the information about Vardanyan’s refusal of a Russian passport. “If he renounced Russian citizenship, then that’s a different matter. But again, I’m afraid to make a mistake. I don’t know that he was detained, I don’t know who he was detained by, whether he was detained at all and whether he has Russian citizenship,” Peskov said.

Earlier about the arrest of Vardanyan reported his wife Veronica Zonabend. According to her, the politician “was arrested and captured by Azerbaijani authorities at the border while trying to leave Artsakh along with thousands of other Armenians fleeing Azerbaijani occupation.” This information confirmed and Deputy General Director of Gazprom Media Holding Tina Kandelaki.

Later TASS, citing a source close to Vardanyan clarifiedthat the ex-state minister was detained while trying to travel to Goris, Syunik region of Armenia. According to the agency, he was stopped on the Akari Bridge.

Vardanyan was born in 1968 in Yerevan. He is an entrepreneur and investor, president of the company Vardanyan, Broitman and Partners, co-founder of the Moscow School of Management “Skolkovo” Forbes magazine estimated Vardanyan’s fortune at more than $1 billion, and in 2021 the businessman took 116th place in the list of the richest people in Russia.

He was the NKR State Minister from November 2022 to February 2023. A year ago, the entrepreneur announced his decision to renounce Russian citizenship and move to Nagorno-Karabakh – he explained this with a desire to support local residents who are “in a difficult psychological state.”

On September 19, Azerbaijan began “anti-terrorism measures” to “restorate the constitutional order” in Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 20, Karabakh authorities announced the conclusion of agreements on a complete ceasefire. The next day, negotiations took place in Yevlakh between the delegation of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh and representatives of the Azerbaijani authorities. Later, the Karabakh military began surrendering weapons.