Political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, the head of the analytical center Voskanapat, claims the Azerbaijani and Turkish leaders made a final decision to attack Artsakh on 12 December 2019 following Nikol Pashinyan’s statement on Armenia's state apparatus.

“Would you like me to name the specific day when Aliyev and Erdogan made a final decision to attack Artsakh? It was on December 12, 2019. Do you remember what happened that day? The vile traitor announced that the state apparatus did not fulfil his instructions, was sabotaging and acting against the revolution. And he promised to break the state apparatus,” Melik-Shahnazaryan wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

“This was an ‘invitation’ from the Armenian authorities to start a war against Artsakh and Armenia. What else did the enemy need to achieve the desired result? Of course, the destruction of the Armenian statehood. And they did not miss the opportunity.

“From December 12, 2019 to September 27, 2020, Armenia’s treacherous prime minister repeatedly disclosed the number of troops and strategic resources we had. Even after all this, he still dares to voice various accusations against Hrant Bagratyan,” the political scientist said.