ArmInfo."We had a plan for the development of the Armenian Armed Forces of 186 points, and on the basis of this document, provided for 2018-2024, we had to purchase weapons for $ 1.3 billion, including a fairly large number of strike and reconnaissance UAVs," he said in interview with "ArmNews" TV company the third president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. Sargsyan noted that for some unknown reason this plan was changed and the country received only the first consignment of supplies, an agreement on which was signed during his reign.
He noted that with limited opportunities, the purchase of weapons should be as effective as possible for the combat capability of the RA Armed Forces. Unfortunately, the wrong weapons were purchased, the same SU-30 planes without weapons, which we could not use during the war. In fact, even here the new authorities decided to promote the so-called modern aircraft. Although it was necessary to understand that the commanders of the types of troops always "pull the blanket over themselves", competing for weapons.
Sargsyan noted that he cannot understand why such weapons as "Iskander" were not used. "Why did we acquire it when we could use it very effectively," he said.
The third president called the prime minister's accusations against him about the purchase of non-working old weapons worth 42 million dollars an obvious lie. He noted that if it is his fault, then why has not he been summoned about this so far, why charges have not yet been brought against him. The "capitulator", as Nikola Pashiyan constantly called Serzh Sargsyan, is always looking for a reason to accuse him, his relatives and family of corruption. But that doesn't work. On the contrary, he gave an example of how bulletproof vests are purchased today at $ 600 apiece. "Yes, we didn't feed the soldiers with strawberries, but the situation gradually improved from the initial disaster, and the army is not a sanatorium. I'm not talking about unscrupulous officers, there were such, but it was impossible to discredit the officers, constantly change the leadership of the army, units, etc.>, - Sargsyan said.
Sargsyan also accused the new authorities of creating a commission to investigate the April 2016 war. He is sure that this was the first powerful blow to the Armenian army. What happened as a result, according to Sargsyan, was shown by the 44-day war.