Karabakh contract soldier deserts to Azerbaijani side because of family problems, minister says
25.03.2015,
20:33
A contract soldier from the Nagorno-Karabakh defense forces, who had deserted to the Azerbaijani side and was identified as Andranik Grigoryan, did so because of family problems, Armenian defense minister Seyran Ohanyan told reporters on Wednesday in parliament.
YEREVAN, March 25. / ARKA /. A contract soldier from the Nagorno-Karabakh defense forces, who had deserted to the Azerbaijani side and was identified as Andranik Grigoryan, did so because of family problems, Armenian defense minister Seyran Ohanyan told reporters on Wednesday in parliament.
Nagorno-Karabakh defense ministry confirmed on March 22 that one of its soldiers had left his post and crossed the line of contact into the territory controlled by Azerbaijani troops.
On Monday Azerbaijani news media disseminated a video showing a man holding a makeshift white flag and walking toward what appears to be an Azerbaijani military post.
According to Seyran Ohanyan, the relations between the soldier and his parents were tense. The minister ruled out abuse of power by Grigoryan’s superiors. He said he was a contract soldier serving in a small mortar unit, where abuse of power and other breaches are extremely rare.
The minister similarly ruled out the kidnapping of the soldier because 15 minutes before the latter crossed the line of contact the post was visited by the command of Grigoryan's military unit.
He said an investigation is underway to find out all the circumstances of this incident.
'If we establish the truth with the help of his family, friends and co-servicemen we will inform the public," Ohanyan said.
Grigoryan is charged with desertion with arms.-0-
