Ruben Vardanyan Responds from Azerbaijani Jail to PM Pashinyan's Remarks

Ruben Vardanyan, a wealthy Armenian businessman and former leader in Nagorno-Karabakh, has responded to recent comments made by Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Vardanyan, who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan, issued his statement through his office in Yerevan on Friday, addressing Pashinyan’s remarks during an August 31 press conference.

During the conference, Pashinyan was asked if he was pushing Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to release Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan. Rather than directly answering, Pashinyan raised questions about how Vardanyan renounced his Russian citizenship and who encouraged him to move to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. He implied that Vardanyan’s move may have been influenced by outside forces and hinted at a larger agenda behind his actions.

Pashinyan’s comments sparked backlash from Armenian opposition leaders and critics, who accused the prime minister of echoing Azerbaijani claims that Vardanyan was sent to Nagorno-Karabakh by Russia to advance Moscow’s interests. These critics argued that Pashinyan’s words could be used by Azerbaijan to justify prolonging Vardanyan’s imprisonment.

Ruben Vardanyan, who served as the state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh from November 2022 to February 2023, was detained at an Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin corridor after Azerbaijan’s military offensive in the region. He was arrested on charges of “financing terrorism,” illegally entering Nagorno-Karabakh, and providing military equipment to its armed forces. Vardanyan denies these allegations.

In his statement, Vardanyan revealed that Azerbaijani authorities questioned him about Pashinyan’s remarks during an interrogation. After confirming Pashinyan’s comments with his family, Vardanyan decided to share his perspective publicly.

"Each person evaluates others based on their own life models and principles," Vardanyan said in a sharp response to the prime minister. He also mentioned that if Pashinyan had questions about his actions, he could have asked them during their last meeting in November 2022, when Vardanyan was still serving as Nagorno-Karabakh’s state minister. Despite this, Vardanyan stated that he is still open to answering any questions from Pashinyan, to the extent of his current capabilities.

Vardanyan emphasized that his decisions were driven solely by concern for Nagorno-Karabakh, saying that the events of 2020, including the war and the continuing threats to the region, were a turning point in his life. He reiterated that these concerns were what motivated him to get involved in Armenian politics.

Vardanyan was appointed state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh in November 2022, shortly after he renounced his Russian citizenship. His term as state minister was cut short in March 2023 under pressure from Azerbaijan. Vardanyan had been a vocal critic of Pashinyan’s handling of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan during his brief tenure and continued to oppose the prime minister’s policies after stepping down.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about Vardanyan’s renunciation of Russian citizenship when he was asked in December 2023 if Moscow was taking steps to secure his release. Putin also hinted that the Armenian government might not be doing enough to secure the freedom of Vardanyan and other former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders captured by Azerbaijan in September 2023.

During his August 31 press conference, Pashinyan added that it was important to remember that Vardanyan is a citizen of another country, suggesting that this should be taken into consideration when discussing his fate.

Ruben Vardanyan, born in Armenia, is a former investment banker who built his wealth in Russia during the 1990s and 2000s. Aside from his business success, he is widely recognized as a philanthropist who has funded numerous charitable projects in both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a previous statement, circulated by his wife in May while he was in an Azerbaijani prison, Vardanyan said he did not regret his decision to move to Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2022, even though the region was later recaptured by Azerbaijan. The 56-year-old businessman maintained that his actions were guided by his deep commitment to the people and future of Nagorno-Karabakh.

As of now, Prime Minister Pashinyan has not responded to Vardanyan’s recent statement. His press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasarian, has also not made any public comments on the issue.