Abrahamyan: Armenian leadership drags military backward for decades

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian MP Tigran Abrahamyan, from the "I Have Honor" parliamentary faction, criticized the Armenian government's military strategy, claiming it leads the army toward inevitable defeat. In a Facebook post, he wrote that the current vision is incompatible with the modern forms and methods of warfare seen in conflicts like Iran-Israel and Russia-Ukraine.

Abrahamyan stated, "The government is following a regressive principle that is a formula for throwing our armed forces back by decades."

He cited as an example a controversial draft law proposing exemption from mandatory military service in exchange for monetary payment. The General Staff reportedly assessed that it is feasible to train a combat-ready soldier within one month and equip them with a military specialty, capable of participating in operations.

Abrahamyan urged readers to recall the nature of global military conflicts in recent years, the advanced technologies deployed, and the military development strategies of neighboring Azerbaijan. He argued that Armenia's military leadership has an outdated vision of preparedness.

He added, "Another possibility is that the General Staff simply followed superior orders and produced a conclusion that aligns with the draft and Prime Minister Pashinyan’s preferences. But this doesn’t change the dire reality."

Abrahamyan concluded that while modern warfare undergoes radical transformation, Armenian authorities are pursuing outdated strategies that risk decades of regression for the national army.

Note: The draft law by Civil Contract party MP Hayk Sargsyan, proposing reduced military service duration in exchange for payment, was not adopted. The draft proposes setting the state fee for male citizens to renounce Armenian citizenship at 15 million AMD. Another amendment raises the upper age limit for conscription from 27 to 32 years. The draft also stipulates that for a payment of 24 million AMD, the service term will be reduced to one month, and for 18 million AMD—to four months.