12:15     28 September 2023    

A preliminary investigation is underway by the State Security Service (SSS) regarding the numerous terrorist crimes committed by the illegal Armenian armed formations operating in the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed, said the press service of Azerbaijan’s State Security Service. Based on the collected evidence, reasonable suspicions have arisen that Ruben Karleni Vardanyan, born in 1968, currently a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, committed the criminal acts under Articles 214-1 (financing of terrorism), 279.3 (participation in an armed formations or groups, which are not provided by the legislation) and 318.1 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Azerbaijan Republic) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to the accusation brought against him, it was determined that Ruben Vardanyan, a citizen of a foreign country, illegally crossed the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan outside the checkpoints in September 2022 in order to commit acts of terrorism and sabotage in the area of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh economic region, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporally deployed. He also participated in the establishment and organization of the activity of the armed formations not provided by the legislation of Azerbaijan, as well as in providing the illegal armed formations, individuals and institutions, which were involved in people’s death and other severe consequences, with weapons, ammunition, explosives, military equipment and supplies. Moreover, he financed terrorism by directing funds for the implementation of terrorist activity of the relevant illegal armed formations. Ruben Vardanyan was detained on September 27, 2023, for the illegal acts he committed, brought to criminal responsibility, and sentenced to pre-trial detention by the court order. Currently, investigative and operational measures on the criminal case are underway.