NSS of Armenia uncovered treason case committed by organized group

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.