ArmInfo.The National Security Service of Armenia, within the framework of its functions of actively combating the activities of foreign special services in our country - identifying and suppressing intelligence activities on their part, directed against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and external security of the Republic of Armenia, revealed a case of high treason committed by an organized group.
According to the report of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, in particular, as a result of the complex operational-search measures undertaken by the employees of the Counterintelligence Department within the framework of the criminal case under investigation, sufficient factual information was obtained that the former soldier, who had many state awards, including "For Impeccable Service" and
"For participation in hostilities", together with their acquaintance - also a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, went to Turkey in search of work, where they were noticed by the Azerbaijani special services. The RA NSS notes that the aforementioned persons received offers from the special services of Azerbaijan for a fee to act to the detriment of the territorial integrity and external security of the Republic of Armenia. The ministry said that the cooperation agreement was signed on the territory of a third country at the Azerbaijani embassy after thorough preparation, after which the abovementioned RA citizens received an advance payment for obtaining specific information.
"After that, these persons regularly kept in touch with the special services of Azerbaijan, received specific instructions from them, within the framework of which they photographed and filmed the military units of the RA Defense Ministry, the military equipment deployed there, ascertained the number of servicemen of this military unit, personal data of the command staff of the military unit, the deployment of training battalions, as well as the deployment of air defense systems of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, data on the availability of air defense systems located in the immediate vicinity of special facilities.
They also photographed and filmed modern objects of strategic importance: reservoirs, hydroelectric power plants, strategic heights, shelters for military operations during the war, the number of troops, military equipment and movement, which were sent to the Azerbaijani special services through mobile applications, activating Internet access, which made it possible to determine the exact coordinates of the location of specially protected objects, "the RA NSS statement says. The ministry reports that after September 27, 2020, one of the members of the organized group, as the commander of a volunteer detachment, went to the war zone in Artsakh in the Hadrud region to carry out a new order given by the Azerbaijani special services.
It is noted that taking advantage of the opportunity until the end of October, he continued the treacherous practice of collecting information, which he passed on to the special services of a hostile state. He photographed and filmed and transmitted to the enemy information on air defense systems, missile systems, armored vehicles, deployment of military units located on the territory of Artsakh and Armenia.
"As a result, these actions allowed the enemy to determine the location of strategically important weapons, military equipment, inflict irreparable damage to the army, inflicting pinpoint strikes on targets, disbanding parts of the Armenian army, military equipment and personnel, as a result of which the combat effectiveness of the RA Defense Ministry and the Defense Army of Artsakh was hampered.. This, in turn, created favorable conditions for breaking through the defense line in the southern direction and further advancing deep into Artsakh, "the NSS noted, adding that another member of the criminal group photographed the location of the anti-aircraft missile system and handed it over to the enemy, which allowed the enemy drone to destroy this complex located deep in the rear.
The RA NSS stated that in this way the abovementioned persons, for a monetary reward, were engaged in espionage on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, transmitting information to the enemy, which made it possible to count on the presence of Armenian forces and means and successfully defeat them.
"Two members from the above-mentioned criminal group have been brought in as accused and have already given confessions. As a measure of restraint, arrest has been chosen against them," the NSS said, adding that during the searches in the apartments and back rooms of the accused were found and seized special communication equipment, cell phones, video recordings of training, as well as other items related to the criminal case.
At the same time, the department noted that the relevant departments of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia will continue to identify and suppress the activities of foreign agents in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
"At the same time, the RA National Security Service informs that high treason is qualified as a particularly grave crime and, given its nature and degree of danger to society, the legislation establishes strict types of punishment for persons who committed high treason. That is, it implies imprisonment for a term from fifteen to twenty years or life imprisonment with or without confiscation of property, "the department concluded.