Former Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, who is currently in custody, has denied Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement that the latter learned about the shortage of helmets and ballistic vests in the army shortly after the start of the 44-day war.

"I solemnly declare that the demand for weapons and military gear of the armed forces, including helmets and ballistic vests, is laid out in the Arms and Military Equipment Development Program, which was last approved by the Armenian government during Nikol Pashinyan's time in office," Tonoyan said in a statement on Monday.

Speaking in the parliament on April 13, Pashinyan said that several days after the start of the 44-day war in Artsakh, he first learned that the Armenian army had problems with helmets and bulletproof vests.