Armenian newspaper: PM prefers Indian weapons instead of Russian ones

Armenia abandoned defence contracts with Russia and signed contracts with private Indian organisations, transferring $500 million, but did not receive even five per cent of the weapons envisaged in the agreement.

“According to the Armenian and Russian media, an agreement was signed between the Armenian Defence Ministry and the Russian SPLAV plant, which produces Smerch-type missiles, according to which the Russian plant was to produce the necessary missiles for Armenia,” Caliber.Az reports citing the Armenian Zhokhovurd newspaper.

According to the newspaper, the plant informed the Armenian Defence Ministry that the missiles have been prepared for delivery and they can send specialists to receive them. After a year and three months, the Armenian Defence Ministry was unable to transport the missiles to Armenia. The Russian plant contacted the Armenian Defence Ministry three times with a request to take the missile in a short period of time as such big missiles cannot be kept in the warehouse for a long time. After so many requests, the Armenian Defence Ministry could not transport the missiles.

“Moreover, it became known that after the 2020 war, the Russian Federation offered and was ready to supply weapons and ammunition worth $1 billion and $400 million to Armenia with a loan period of 20 years. The contract worth $400 million had already been approved. The contracts were prepared for signing and a few days left for the contracts worth $1 billion to be approved by the governments and ministries of finance of the two countries. However, Armenia suddenly abandoned these agreements and signed contracts with private Indian organisations, transferring $500 million at once, but did not receive five per cent of the weapons,” the newspaper said.

Zhokhovurd newspaper appealed to the Armenian Defence Ministry for comments, while the ministry urged to send the questions in written form.