Russia refutes $100 mln military loan deal with Armenia canceled

PanARMENIAN.Net - Deputy Defense Minister of Russia, Colonel-General Aleksandr Fomin has commented on a report published by Kommersant, according to which Russia could cancel the delivery of arms under a $100 million loan agreement signed with Armenia in 2017.

“This is inaccurate information. I do not confirm it. Everything works", Fomin was quoted as saying by RFE/RL Armenian Service.

According to Kommersant’s sources, Moscow was especially irritated by the arrest of the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Yuri Khachaturov.

Khachaturov, alongside former president Robert Kocharyan, has been charged with overthrowing the constitutional order of Armenia on March 1, 2008 after clashes between civilians and the police that followed presidential elections. Eight civilians and two police officers were killed immediately after the election of a new President 10 years ago. While Khachaturov was released on bail, Kocharyan is still in custody.

The Russian paper alleged that the Kremlin considered the developments in Armenia to be a serious blow to the image of the military bloc and doesn’t rule out that the CSTO could be headed by a representative of another country. Moreover, the report said, arms deliveries under the $100 million deal turned out to be in doubt.