YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: During the recent hostilities in Syunik [Province], the military with higher ranks than a major were not allowed to go up to the [combat] positions—the hotspots of the operations.
This information was confirmed by the military at 2 different positions, adding that when the servicemen of the special regiment of the MOD [(Ministry of Defense)] as well as of the foreign intelligence tried to go up to the positions at the most crucial moment of the hostilities, they were banned, saying that they have the order of the newly appointed minister of defense, Suren Papikyan: not to allow those with a higher rank than a major.
It is already known that the authorities have turned down the assistance of the 102nd [Russian] military base located in the RA. And when Gorin, the commander of the second corps of the [Russian] military base located in Syunik, tried to provide assistance on location—to go up to the combat positions—, he was not allowed either.
It is noteworthy that in the previous day [PM] Nikol Pashinyan was stating from the NA [(National Assembly)] tribune that they could not give an order not to shoot, "not giving such an order is high treason."
But how can one describe the ban on experienced high-ranking military personnel from going up to the [combat] positions? Maybe they explain this, too, with the care for them? After all, their participation [in the aforesaid hostilities] could have considerably changed the balance of power.