ArmInfo.Hero of Artsakh, ex-commander of the Artsakh Defense Army, Lieutenant General Samvel Babayan, today, on November 25, published a letter that he sent back in 2013 to the then President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.
In a letter to ArmInfo, the Armenian general pointed out the weak tactics of the Armenian armed forces, which were at the level of the 20th century, compared to the armed forces of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the military equipment, weapons and tactics of modern combat, which are in service with Azerbaijan, significantly increase their offensive capabilities, and it will not be difficult for the enemy to conduct a successful lightning-fast military campaign against the NKR Defense Army within 10 days.
"My opinion is based on the assessment of information about the weapons, tactical training and equipment of the armed forces of Azerbaijan. Concern about the resumption of hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict, presumably in April-May 2014, is due to the fact that:
1) at present, the Azerbaijani authorities have demanded an ultimatum from the members of the OSCE Minsk Group to force Armenia to sign a document on concessions in the Karabakh issue by the end of 2013, realizing that Yerevan cannot agree to the proposed "compromise" option. The relevant draft OSCE framework document has been submitted to you for signing and subsequent continuation of the negotiation process in accordance with the principles stated in it;
2) in 2013, Azerbaijan's military contracts with a number of foreign states for the purchase of modern weapons and military equipment are being completed;
3) by February 2014, it is planned to open a railway connection between Azerbaijan and Turkey through the territory of Georgia; 4) in the same February 2014, Azerbaijan will launch two military satellites, which, together with Israeli-made drones, will significantly increase their military intelligence capabilities. Realizing the perniciousness of the current situation for the Armenian side, silence on my part on defense issues would be tantamount to betrayal. We have an extremely limited time (actually 10 months) to change the situation. In this regard, I consider it necessary to change the tactics of training Armenian troops to repel a probable enemy strike in order to intercept the initiative of hostilities, minimize personnel losses and, at the same time, dictate to the enemy its own battle conditions. For this, it is necessary to acquire the following types of modern weapons and military equipment (the list is attached), as a result of which we will be able to both defeat the enemy and delay the start of hostilities. Otherwise, we will suffer heavy losses and receive significant material destruction, which will lead to a military defeat, the loss of our conquests in Artsakh, hundreds of thousands of new refugees and the economic collapse of Armenia. If we are unable to acquire the proposed military equipment due to time constraints or for other reasons, then the option of political concessions offered by the OSCE remains, in order to avoid senseless bloodshed, countless and irreparable victims, destruction of the national economy and complete military defeat. This opinion is dictated by a real assessment of the military-political situation in the region, and not by defeatism. The path I propose, I believe, is the only correct one, which will allow us to win a 100% military victory with minimal losses and force the enemy to sign a political document on terms favorable to the Armenian side. By purchasing the aforementioned weapons and military equipment, we significantly (3-4 times) save human resources. Thus, this proposal takes into account the limited human capabilities of our side and does not require large-scale mobilization of troops. At the same time, the combat capabilities of the proposed military equipment paralyze the enemy's initiative, make it possible to deprive him of offensive capabilities, control the density of fire, suppress Azerbaijan's superiority in aviation and artillery, and also launch a victorious counter-offensive by the NKR Defense Army. I am ready in your presence to discuss with the military specialists and experts of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia my proposed option for modernizing the Armenian army and the tactics of conducting hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict, how it is possible, from the point of view of the theory and practice of military art, to wage the upcoming war. I am sure that military specialists will 100% agree with my proposals. If they familiarize themselves with the performance characteristics of the list proposed for the acquisition of weapons and military equipment, then my personal presence may lose its meaning. Thus, my proposals are in no way connected with personal concern for career growth, but are dictated by a real assessment of the situation and the interests of the nation. Objectively assessing the financial and economic situation in Armenia, I think it expedient to use your authority as the head of the Armenian state to unite the financial potential of the Armenian diaspora and Armenian business in order to solve the above problems. Otherwise, the defeat of our side will lead to financial and personal losses for the representatives of the Armenian business. Delaying and indecisiveness in resolving these issues will turn into a national catastrophe. I hope for your understanding of the depth of the current situation and your political sanity, "Samvel Babanyan said in a letter.