Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan issued a scathing live video post today accusing the nation, as a whole, for the military defeat in Artsakh.

He said that segments of Armenian troops fled the northern frontline in the Mataghis area on October 3 after Azerbaijani troops captured Talish and the surrounding region.

He described those fleeing the fighting not as regular Artsakh Defense Army troops but others, volunteers, and non-army combatants.

He said that special national security units from Armenia refused to go to the northern frontline with him on that day.

“I pleaded with them to accompany me to the Yeghnikner region, but they refused. I told them I would be at the head of the advance, but to no avail,” said Harutyunyan, adding that people looking for traitors need to look no further.

An emotional Harutyunyan said the nation abandoned the 18-20-year-old Artsakh Defense Army soldiers to fend for themselves, without any support.

Harutyunyan said he wouldn’t give specific numbers as to how many volunteers came to Artsakh or those who registered in the national mobilization, but that the numbers were woefully inadequate.

He said that some of the volunteers that arrived stayed until the end while others left after one day. The same happened with reservist troops.

Harutyunyan then removed a document according to which the commander of two battalions of soldiers that arrived from Armenia refused to participate in an operation to defend Shushi.

“Who gave the lands? All of us, the nation. All of us betrayed the soldiers, our children. Don’t look elsewhere for the traitors,” Harutyunyan said.

Addressing those political leaders who are now accusing others of treason, Hovhannisyan asked where they and their sons were during the war.

He said that the shortage of Armenian troops was the main problem during the war, not the Azerbaijani drones.

He said that Stepanakert was defended by a mere 100-200 combatants and that there was no option but to sign the ceasefire agreement.

Hovhannisyan said that every day some 100 soldiers were either killed or wounded and that there were no troops to replace them.

He then started to speak about the retreat from Hadrut in the face of a small number of enemy subversive units. He refrained from giving details.

“I kneel before those who fell. I kneel before our 18-year-old boys who died and those still defending our borders,” Harutyunyan said, adding that the time will come to reveal all the aspects of the war.