Armenian official mocks nephew of arrested Russian oligarch as “immature” PHOTO

Armenia’s Deputy Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister, Taron Chakhoyan, has mocked Narek Karapetyan, the nephew of arrested Russian oligarch Samvel Karapetyan and chairman of the board of Electric Networks of Armenia.

Chakhoyan shared his comments on Facebook, Caliber.Az reports.

"Narek (Karapetyan) does not understand that without education, it is impossible to build a factory.
He does not understand that without education, it is impossible to make a factory operate.
He does not understand that without education, it is impossible to build a school or a road.
He does not understand that the number one prerequisite for the development of a state is education," Chakhoyan said.

"Narek does not understand; he is still immature… FREEDOM to Tashir Samo."

This incident appears to stem from escalating tensions between the Armenian government under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the influential Russian-Armenian Karapetyan family, particularly Samvel Karapetyan, a billionaire oligarch and founder of the Tashir Group. Samvel Karapetyan was arrested in June 2025 on charges of inciting the overthrow of the government, following his public criticism of Pashinyan's policies toward the Armenian Apostolic Church and broader political moves perceived as anti-Russian. His detention has been extended multiple times, with pre-trial measures renewed as recently as October 2025, amid claims of political persecution by his supporters.

Narek Karapetyan, Samvel's nephew and the chairman of the board at Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA)—the country's primary electricity distributor, owned by Tashir—has become a focal point in this feud. In July 2025, authorities raided ENA's headquarters and Narek's home, seizing documents but making no immediate arrests. Narek has since positioned himself as a key figure in his uncle's defence, announcing plans for a new political movement called "In Our Way" in July 2025, which aims to challenge Pashinyan's rule ahead of potential elections. By October 2025, the movement had reportedly attracted around 5,000 members, with Narek leading public conferences and rallies demanding Samvel's release.

By Khagan Isayev