The commander of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian-backed army, Lieutenant General Levon Mnatsakanian, was dismissed on Friday two weeks after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reacted angrily to Karabakh officials’ strong criticism of one of his close associates.
Mnatsakanian was replaced by the chief of the Karabakh Defense Army staff, Major General Karen Abrahamian. Colonel Jalal Harutiunian, who commanded an army division, took up the post held by Abrahamian until now.
Bako Sahakian, the Karabakh president who formalized these personnel changes, presented the newly appointed officials to the army top brass at a meeting in Stepanakert. Lieutenant General Artak Davtian, the chief of the Armenian army’s General Staff, also attended the meeting.
According to an official press release, Sahakian praised Mnatsakanian’s “great contribution” to the Karabakh Armenian military. He also announced that the fired general will take over as head of Karabakh’s emergency situations service.
Nagorno Karabakh - Karen Abrahamian (L), Levon Mnatsakanian (second from left), and Jalal Harutiunian (second from right) watch a military exercise in August 2018.
Sahakian’s spokesman, Davit Babayan, claimed that Mnatsakanian himself wanted to be relieved of his duties. The general told Tert.am on Thursday, however, that he has not tendered his resignation.
Mnatsakanian gave no reason for his sacking in a written farewell address to local military personnel circulated by the Defense Army later on Friday.He said he will always be ready to rejoin the army “if need be.”
Mnatsakanian’s impending dismissal was announced by several Armenian media outlets late on Wednesday. They linked it to Pashinian’s public spat with Karabakh Armenian leaders which erupted during Armenia’s recent parliamentary election campaign.
One of the Armenian premier’s key political allies, Sasun Mikaelian, caused uproar when he declared late last month that this spring’s protest movement that brought Pashinian to power was more important than the Armenian victory in the 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan.
Mikaelian’s remark was condemned by Armenian opposition politicians as well as senior officials in Stepanakert, including Sahakian’s and Mnatsakanian’s spokesmen. Pashinian portrayed it a slip of the tongue and accused the critics of misinterpreting what Mikaelian meant to say.
Armenia - Sasun Mikaelian (R) speaks at an election campaign held by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in Shirak province, November 26, 2018.
Pashinian specifically lambasted the Karabakh leadership, accusing it of “meddling” in the Armenian parliamentary race. “Sober up and mind your business,” he said at a November 29 campaign rally. “I will certainly discuss this with you, but only after the elections.”
Pashinian and Sahakian met in Yerevan on Thursday. The Armenian prime minister’s office issued no statements on their meeting.
Babayan denied any connection between Pashinian’s reaction and the Karabakh army chief’s sacking. “It’s just not right to try to see disagreements between Mother Armenia and Artsakh (Karabakh) … National unity is our supreme value,” the Karabakh official told RFE/RL’s Armenian service.
Born and raised in Karabakh, Mnatsakanian, 53, commanded various Karabakh Armenian army units during the war. He studied at a Russian military academy for high-ranking officers several years before moving to Yerevan in 2012. He served as deputy chief of staff of Armenia’s armed forces until being appointed as Karabakh army commander in 2015.