2022 February 18

Daily news wrap-up

Feb/18/2022: War postmortem by army expert Artsrun; Ancient comm. equipment & artillery; Liberal gun laws __ New Martakert-Stepanakert road __ LHK's Marukyan on Union State & Kocharyan __ Investment Committee __ STEM subsidies __ Occupied territories; Aliyev's displeasure __ Yerevan's plans __ +++
by ar_david_hh

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This is your 15-minute Thursday digest in 3716 words.

PART 5 & 6: War postmortem by military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan

Part [1](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/p2to7g/postmortem_by_exarmy_spokesman_artsrun/), [2](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/pexq9h/interview_with_exmod_spokesman_artsrun/), [3](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/pk1ydh/part_3_of_war_postmortem_exmod_spokesman_artsrun/), [4](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/q2wgb4/part_4_exarmy_spokesman_and_military_expert/). The following is the final part.

Artsrun: Previously, I spoke about how prepared Armenia was for a war economically, demographically, culturally, and educationally. I also mentioned the problems in the command system relating to Armenia and Artsakh's status, the issues caused by the 2015 Constitutional amendment, issues about the Artsakh Defense Army's "independent status", etc.

Digital Control.

Today we'll discuss the technical components of the command system. If you've ever served in the army, you remember how the communication worked: Weak radio connection susceptible to wiretap and interference. Grandpa's wired գծալարային connection from the pre-WW2 era that uses տափիկ.

I've raised this topic on multiple occasions. Deputy MOD Pakhchyan had a commission that was also tasked with discussing digital control systems. Think of it as a "tablet" in the hands of a commander that contains all the info about your and your enemy's soldiers, the orders arriving from leadership, the orders going below, color-coded categories, etc.

Azerbaijan was using this to a certain degree. Not as good as in developed states, but close. They had tablets that combined info about an infantry unit and the drone/artillery that were aiding the unit. Our kids play this on their smartphones yet we didn't have it in the army.

New generation weapons.

People usually think of drones, but that's part of the story. An artillery bomb with a camera isn't any worse, if you know what I mean. The artillery was still the god of war in 2020. The problem is Azerbaijan had developed its self-propelled (ինքնագնաց) artillery over time, while we were using towed artillery.

After the fall of the USSR, Armenia inherited more self-propelled artillery than Azerbaijan, but over time, they purchased modern units while we purchased old. The self-propelled is faster, which is crucial on the modern battlefield. It takes you 5 minutes to decide what to do and 10 to execute, while your enemy needs 1 minute to decide and 2 to execute.

With the help of a digital control system, the drones and artillery become one full system. Artillery can shoot day and night, including with drone guidance.

In 2012-2014 we attempted to import new-generation weapons in small quantity and variety. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan had been doing it for 10 years while spending 10x. Azerbaijan had accurately guessed what the future war would look like because they were the ones preparing it.

Armenia's military mind had fallen behind. We didn't know what type of war was awaiting us. Armenia's military journal is called Haykakan Banak and has been printed regularly almost since the birth of the army. Its editions are available on the internet and in libraries. Read the editions from 15-20 years ago and see how many articles were written about the nature of future wars, and who the authors are, and it'll become clear to you.

Night battles & tech.

In 2012-2015, one of our respected Generals kept insisting to increase nighttime training exercises. You don't have to be a rocket scientist; it's a simple thing. After a great amount of effort, the General was able to convince MOD Seyran Ohanyan and CoGS Yuri Khachaturov to implement the idea. But one year later, under various pretenses, it wasn't implemented the way it was written in the order. The 2016 April war proved that the General was right.

We got some tech, but now we have a new problem: it turns out the night tech, which is 2-3x more expensive than the Kalashnikov rifle itself, must be purchased in large quantities for forces to prepare for night battles. Certain programs were implemented. After 2016 we had night cameras and նշանոց in positions, but the forces still weren't properly trained for a nighttime battle.

Military mind.

Since 2010 I've been personally trying to promote military science in Armenia. To this day, the army has no military-science council. A country in war has 3 military universities and no military-science council. I've written dozens of letters about this. Almost every Education Minister has received one, yet despite approving it, it was never implemented.

I've brought the example of military schools in Belarus, France, Kazakhstan, etc. Armenia must have one, too. We cannot allow our military scientists to [defend their thesis] only abroad, only in the Russian language. They return here, and since we don't have the system, they abandon the field. Many of the papers are plagiarized. This problem persists today.

Conclusion. What Armenia should have done, and should do.

Air superiority. Air defense units should not be separate forces. They have long been part of the airforce in developed states. I've written about this in 2010. It is yet to be implemented in Armenia.

Drones. I've spoken about these a lot already. My book contains details.

Modern operation is different. Համազորային մարտ doesn't exist anymore. The Soviet-era lines have been blurred.

Modern radio-electronic equipment and weapons.

[Other stuff mentioned in previous interviews.]

Today we have an experienced and battle-hardened generation that is capable of starting new things from zero if we have the necessary school.

You get a weapon, you get a weapon, everybody gets a weapon.

Our reserves were mostly of poor quality during the war, but there were 5-10 groups that were very good. That's because they were trained. It doesn't matter whether they were retrained by the state or private groups.

Liberalize weapon possession laws. People should be able to purchase combat weapons, even if only former soldiers and the mentally fit are allowed. Free and regulated weapon sales will change the young generation's attitude towards the weapon. It'll increase the interest in it. There will be firing ranges that will, in turn, become a business and could enter the military industry.

The world has gone through this process. People will train at their own expense. The fears about "hotheaded Armenians will kill each other" are unjustified. The criminal situation was worse in Georgia in the 1990s. It's been a decade since the sale of guns is free there, without the aforementioned problems.

We don't need handguns in Armenia, we need rifles. Biathlon should become a national sport. //

https://youtu.be/L61QsYlDZU8 https://youtu.be/dzlvb6C-EO4

update: Artsakh parliament adopts bill on occupied territories

Context in [Thursday news](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/suylt5/feb172022_kocharyan_about_a_union_state_wrussia/). The bill calls for Azerbaijan to de-occupy lands that Artsakh lost in 1991-1994, 2016, and 2020, "so our citizens can return to their homes".

Artsakh Parliament also urges OSCE to resume negotiations ASAP, by "respecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people of the Artsakh Republic."

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075876.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075881.html https://youtu.be/UWMzeAe_WGc

Ilham Aliyev is dissatisfied that his oligarchs don't want to invest in occupied territories that are full of cassette bombs that he dropped on civilians just a year ago

Aliyev called for private investors to be more active, saying that Azerbaijan hasn't received any aid or loan for such projects. Currently, there are several construction firms conducting business there, owned by people associated with Aliyev and Erdogan.

https://factor.am/477257.html

Russian airlines will hold fights to the new airport in Artsakh's occupied Varanda

Red Wings, North Wind, Icarus, Azimuth, and IrAero have received a permit to hold regular flights to Fizuli International Airport.

https://factor.am/477126.html

landmine explosion injures two Azeris in northeastern Artsakh

The incident involving the road workers happened not far from occupied Talish.

https://factor.am/477227.html

there are 3.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey today

193,000 of them received citizenship last year, with almost half being children.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075899.html

interview with Parliamentary Security Committee chief Andranik Kocharyan

Reporter: the NSS reported the arrest of 20 soldiers accused of espionage. Are they "pinning" the blame on the lower ranks?

Andrnaik: so what that they were in lower ranks? The traitors shouldn't be exposed? The question is why they chose to spy against us.

Reporter: they only earn $300/mo.

Andrnaik: not an excuse to sell the homeland. We need to dry the swamp that forms traitors. It depends on our policies and the army's oversight tools and counter-intel.

Reporter: why couldn't NSS detect them during the war?

Andrnaik: only NSS can answer that question and identify areas of improvement.

Reporter: why did we lose the war?

Andrnaik: indifference, corruption, and low-quality control played a big role. The army was treated as a cash cow. People became arrogant.

Reporter: what is the diplomatic solution to the Artsakh conflict?

Andrnaik: OSCE has stated on numerous occasions about the need to resume talks. But the issue here is not in the status of Artsakh, it's to do with the security system of Artsakh. Throughout the negotiation process, one of the conditions has been for Artsakh to have police forces instead of an army.

Reporter: is that acceptable for us?

Andrnaik: if it was acceptable we wouldn't provide so much military and personnel aid to Artsakh. We need to preserve the unified defense system.

Reporter: do you rule out Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan? What if Azerbaijan is against extending the presence of Russian peacekeepers?

Andrnaik: that's not the topic of discussion for now. Many things are happening in the world. Big movements around Ukraine. It'll have an impact on our region.

NATO's stance is that Russian troops should not be present on the Ukraine border. Let's follow geopolitical developments and see whose security system is more viable and whose interests are defended.

https://factor.am/477283.html

Ukraine

An increase in ceasefire violations began yesterday in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 122 mm artillery and grenade launchers were allegedly used.

Donetsk reportedly began a mass evacuation of civilians to Russia. As of writing this, Putin's spokesman said he wasn't aware whether the evacuation was a joint project with Russia. Luhansk leaders later urged a similar evacuation from their region.

The Russian government announced plans to distribute $130 aid to refugees.

A large explosion next to the Donetsk government building. It turned out to be a parked vehicle belonging to a militia leader. "No one was harmed," said the owner.

https://factor.am/477266.html https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-18-22-intl/h_ac017c3aaf61b931b0d95abf2d10b1de https://factor.am/477308.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075926.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075929.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075930.html

LHK leader Edmon Marukyan about Kocharyan's comments on joining a "Union State" with Russia

Marukyan: Kocharyan said Armenia has chosen to exit the sphere of Russian influence to place it with Turkish influence. I disagree. That statement is the latest episode of internal political fight.

Kocharyan is saying that in order to derail the Armenia-Turkey normalization process because he couldn't do it himself so he doesn't want his opponent to succeed. His nationalist stance is also meant to appease the part of the diaspora. "This is it. Armenia is leaving Russia to fall under Turkish influence."

Reporter: It's a bit contradictory because Russia is supporting the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations.

Marukyan: Russia, the West, the whole civilized world is aiding the normalization efforts, while there is a struggle against it inside Armenia.

On Sunday, one of the media outlets claimed that Pashinyan used slurs against Russia during a dinner with Georgian officials. It's from the fiction genre but the conventional media outlets began circulating it. Why? To damage Armenia-Russian connections, to harm Armenia and Armenians living in Russia. They are ready to harm everyone for the sake of scoring political benefits. If that's what you call "opposition", then don't count me in. [It's in response to criticism that Marukyan's LHK isn't as anti-Pashinyan as Kocharyan and Serj alliances.]

One of the Kocharyan-Serj allies recently wrote "there are times when political assassinations are very important. It has helped resolve problems". Can you believe this? Nairi Hunanyan [1999 Parliament shooter] is in prison but his political heirs continue his work. If this is what you mean by "opposition", we're not part of it.

Reporter: Kocharyan said that during his tenure, Russia was trying to improve relations with the West but that's not the case anymore amid the Ukraine conflict. Now Armenia must make a choice between Russia and the West, he said. He suggested joining the Union State with Russia and Belarus.

Marukyan: It's all constructed on a false premise that Armenia is engaged in political complementarianism. Can Armenia buy gas from someone else? Does Armenia vote in favor of Russia on international platforms? Did Armenia send peacekeepers to Kazakhstan? Armenia doesn't have to make a choice between the West and Russia. Even our Russian colleagues never force us to make such a choice. Only Kocharyan is. Why is there an internal effort to dismantle Armenia's sovereignty?

Being pro-Russia, Armenia has great relations with the West. The West is more understanding of our situation than Kocharyan is. The West is not forcing us to choose, but our ex-president is.

Reporter: Pashinyan has been saying that he is responsible for the 2020 defeat but he isn't the only one guilty. Do you agree?

Marukyan: Yes. Shouldn't we investigate and understand what army, economy, and negotiation documents Pashinyan inherited in 2018? I get it, it happened under his tenure, but we need an investigation.

The former administration boasts about leaving behind excellent negotiation packages and that stupid Pashinyan threw it all into water. If those packages were so good, why did Serj and Kocharyan fail for 20 years?

Why did they force Levon Ter-Petrosyan to resign?

Reporter: so Levon couldn't implement his package.

Marukyan: Yes. Then Kocharyan and Serj came with their own "better" package. Where are the results 20 years later? What was Azerbaijan doing meanwhile? They waited for our administrations to plunder the army.

Azerbaijan then came and said are you guys going to give these lands or not. Pashinyan said no. Kocharyan/Serj's role here is that they knew there was an agreement to give 5 regions, so they used it against Pashinyan by publicly claiming "Pashinyan came to give away the lands". Pashinyan's people (ex-MOD Tonoyan) got defensive and said "we'll capture more, not give". //

Full: www.civilnet.am/news/650590/ռուսները-հայաստանին-չեն-ասում՝-ընտրություն-կատարի-քոչարյանն-է-ասում-էդմոն-մարուքյան/

opposition ArmNew outlet is in trouble after parent company falls apart

Karyak Media, which owns ArmNews, Tert.am, and ArmNews Radio, recently broke apart amid internal problems and failure to reach an acquisition deal.

ArmNews and ArmNews FM subsequently had their licenses temporarily suspended for not meeting the minimum broadcasting requirements for 24 hours. The regulator gave them until February 17 to resume the regular broadcast.

ArmNews didn't, while ArmNews FM did. The former has lost its broadcasting license. The airway is now open, so the regulator will hold a new competition to choose a replacement channel.

https://factor.am/477115.html https://armtimes.com/hy/article/231058

COVID stats

5.7k tested. 1.4k infected. 2.8k healed. 25 deaths.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075871.html

Wizz Air low-coster will hold flights to-from Larnaca and Rome

...twice a week, starting in June and September respectively. Hungarian Wizz Air entered the Armenian market in 2019 after negotiations with the Civil Aviation Committee.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075879.html

2020 article: Armenia is suddenly hot property for low-cost airlines

https://emerging-europe.com/business/armenia-is-suddenly-a-hot-property-for-low-cost-airlines/

VIDEO: a tribute to thousands of people working at Yerevan Metro

Metro will turn 41 soon. There are 1,000 workers helping ~55,000 passengers to travel safely every day. They'll change 70 tons of rail tracks this year, "which is relatively a big number".

Metro is 41yo, but Manushak Martirosyan has been working there for 42 years. There is no magic here. She is one of the OGs who joined the team before the Metro opened.

This is a tribute: https://youtu.be/hbh2nO4l2N4?t=6

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/231436

PHOTOs: Artsakh's 27 km Martakert-Chakategh road is under construction with the help of Himnadram

Martakert is in the northeast. It's connected to Stepanakert with a road that travels west before going south.

The new road is diagonal and 24 km shorter. It's also safer.

4 km asphalted so far, and the groundwork was done on 15 km.

Martakert-Stepanakert will be 73 km when it's done.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/231448 https://artsakhpress.am/arm/news/158872/martakert-nerqin-horatax-tchankatax-avtotchanaparhi-shinashkhatanqnern-yntacqi-mej-en.html

Armenia and India discuss cooperation in trade, defense, and culture

The delegations held a remote conference on Friday (the best day). They also discussed deepening cooperation in international platforms, and regional issues.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075919.html

more laws = good or bad?

Depends on whom you ask.

The parliament adopted "only" 98 laws last year, one of the lowest in a decade, said the head of a panel that analyzed last year's parliamentary performance. Another concerning thing was the level of polarization and fights between opposition and ruling MPs.

Monitoring panel chief: Only 98 bills, despite Armenia being in a post-war state. Very unproductive. The opposition drafted only 6 of them.

Oppo MP: Our bills were harshly blocked, sometimes illegally. There were unacceptable fights and arrests of MPs.

Ruling MP to panel chief: The tense atmosphere in Parliament was expected; it's better to "fight" in Parliament than on the streets. More bills isn't necessarily better. Making legal amendments too frequently can cause headaches for businesses.

https://factor.am/477149.html https://factor.am/477170.html https://factor.am/477164.html https://factor.am/477172.html

Pashinyan signs a decree to establish an Investment Committee

It will analyze and develop a plan to increase investments in priority areas. The Committee can invite independent experts. At the moment they are deciding how and when the meetings should be held.

https://www.e-gov.am/u_files/file/decrees/varch/2022/190_1%20(1).pdf

High-Tech Minister met the Bulgarian ambassador

Some opportunities have not been realized yet, said Vahagn Khachaturyan. They agreed to organize a meeting between experts.

Armenia wants to study Bulgarian experience with digital services, post office, space activities, and EU-related stuff.

There could be cooperation between Yerevan's Engineering City and Bulgarian research organizations.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075892.html

Vanadzor residents will receive 110 services under one roof to reduce runaround

Justice Ministry and HayPost, aided by USAID, opened a new Civic Center in Vanadzor today. A few other cities already have those.

The residents or Lori will receive 110 types of services relating to IRS, residency registration, legal, national archive, labor & social, passport & visa, cadastre property, etc.

Abovyan's Civic Center will open soon and will provide up to 400 services.

https://factor.am/477158.html

governnment wants to rearrange university tuition subsidies to promote STEM, set new standards, invite foreign students

Education Minister Dumanyan met university rectors today to discuss the distribution of "free slots" in the 2022-2023 year as part of the government's 2030 vision.

They want to review how the free slots are subsidized to increase the share of STEM recipients.

They discussed ensuring an equal playing field for state and private universities and developing a set of standards. "Armenian universities must at least be registered in well-known rating systems where clear international standards are set."

The goal is to have at least 4 Armenian universities in the global top-500 list, and to double the number of foreign students by 2030.

https://factor.am/477298.html

Yerevan wants to purchase electric buses & modernize a bunch of stuff

Mayor Hrachya met the ADB and ERDB bank representatives.

Mayor Hrachya: Yerevan and federal administrations have plans to develop the capital's infrastructure with your assistance. Because I was coordinating our joint programs in the past few years and I'm familiar with the details, hopefully, the programs will be implemented faster now.

We want to revamp bus stops, install electronic schedules, smart traffic lights, new parking station for buses in Jrvezh that will come with gas refill and carwash.

We need electric buses to protect nature. There are also efforts to reduce energy waste in kindergartens, replace lightbulbs with LED, build a station to accumulate and burn biogas, a new landfill with modern standards.

A new landfill will be built next to Nubarashen. Ajapnyak and Nubarashen landfills will close. //

https://factor.am/477212.html

Supreme court council terminates a judge

Administrative Court judge Arshak Alaverdyan was investigated and terminated over alleged ethics violations.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/231464

update: they did it, a record-long air balloon flight was performed by Armenian and Russian pilots

Last month [we learned](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/s6gc0i/jan172022_national_money_transfer_system_icu_and/) that SkyBall company's Nairi Barseghyan and his Russian colleague Sergey Bazhenov flew above Mt. Aragats while traveling from Gyumri to Yerevan. They had to use a nasal cannula to supply oxygen. It was a test run ahead of an attempt to set a world record in Russia.

They set the world record in Russia's Orenburg. The 34h41m flight, which was over 485 kilometers long, began on Wednesday and ended on Thursday. The previous record was 2 hours shorter.

The record will be documented by the World Air Sports Federation. "It is remarkable that for the first time in history the name of Armenia will be written in aviation sports. Such records [usually] belong to superpowers."

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075910.html

GARABAG IS ARMENIA

... read the sign raised by Armenian soccer fans during a Marseille FC vs Garabag FC match held in Marseille.

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/NorSeround/posts/5177231429007705

Video: https://youtu.be/FNNhkD60E_o

UEFA women's U17 soccer championship begins next month

Armenia will host the Turkish team on March 18 in the newly rebuilt Armavir City Stadium.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075920.html

top-10 bestseller children's book in January

5) Շունն ու կատուն

4) Շաղգամը

3) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

2) Kolobok

1) Ով է ապրում տնակում

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075862.html

Middle East is giving a middle finger to middle ages

Kuwaiti court struck down a law about "imitating the opposite sex", which was being used to prosecute transgender people. Activists hailed the decision as a landmark for transgender rights in the Middle East.

28,000 Saudi women have applied to drive... bullet trains, while your sorry ass still cannot do a proper left turn at the intersection. Female participation in the workforce has nearly doubled in the last five years to 33%.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/world/middleeast/kuwait-overturns-transgender-law.html https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/saudi-women-job-ad-scli-intl/index.html

online war continues between Kanye West and Kardashian Clan

Kanye wipes out his Instagram account clean. Kim's boyfriend Pete rejoins Instagram. Kanye follows Pete. Kim unfollows Kanye.

Kanye then begins to trash Pete on Instagram. He uploads an image of a comedy episode involving Pete in which Pete is wearing a Donald Trump-style hat that reads "Make Kanye 2006 Again". Kanye writes "Hi [Pete]. You got anymore mental health jokes for me?"

It was a response to Pete's episode in which he joked about Kanye getting off his meds and supporting Donald Trump. "Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass," said Pete in the old episode.

Kanye then deleted the diss posts after a few hours.

https://www.tmz.com/2022/02/17/kanye-west-follows-pete-davidson-new-instagram-account/ https://youtu.be/Khj8xxF_ohg

today in history

1877: writer Derenik Demirchyan is born

1906: militaryman Hamazasp Babajanyan is born

1930: Pluto is discovered. It will be Epsteined by butthurt scientists after almost a century later.

1933: Yoko Ono is born

1954: John Travolta is born

1979: snowfall in Sahara desert

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075853.html

more

The news in русский (by Impossible-Ad-).

News archive: http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports Donations: soldiers' families, humanitarian aid, US tax-deductible donation.

The accused are innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "appear" guilty.

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/svsv6d/feb182022_war_postmortem_by_army_expert_artsrun/