Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Armenia's National Security Service has detained local businessman David Galstyan (known as Patron Davo) on charges of supplying old and unusable artillery shells to the Defence Ministry, Armenian news sources have reported.

Being the chairman of the board of a company registered abroad, Galstyan and the director of the same company concluded with the Defence Ministry an agreement on the supply of artillery shells for cannons produced in 1983-86, aiming to misappropriate a large amount of funds, the service's press office reported.

The provided shells, which failed to meet the requirements of the concluded agreement, were actually the ones aimed for Czech guns of 1977.

"In terms of tactical and technical characteristics, the delivered shells were significantly inferior to those that were supposed to be supplied. These shells could not be used during combat missions. As a result of the transaction, David Galstyan's company received 523 million drams (about $1.08 million)," the press office said.

The supplied weapons were used during Armenia’s 44-day-war with Azerbaijan between September 27 and November 10.

The clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated for the second time in 2020 after Armenia's forces deployed in the occupied Azerbaijani lands targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, causing casualties among civilians and the military. In the early hours of September 27, Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation which lasted six weeks. The operation resulted in the liberation of Azerbaijan's occupied lands.

A Russia-brokered ceasefire deal that Azerbaijan and Armenia signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to the 44-day war between the two countries. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied.

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