Former Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan today insinuated that Armenia has, in the past, purchased military equipment from the West.

Tonoyan, who was arrested last September as part of a criminal probe regarding the supply of defective ammunition to the country’s military, said Armenia’s membership in the CSTO has never been a real obstacle to making military purchases from the West. 

Tonoyan’s lawyers released a statement where the former defense minister responded to numerous questions sent by media outlets in Armenia.

Tonoyan also warned that Armenia’s army current passivity in responding to Azerbaijani aggression along the border will have “serious consequences on the morale and psychological state of the armed forces and, therefore, on their fighting ability.”

The former defense minister said Armenia must drastically increase the army’s combat readiness to confront the threats posed by Azerbaijan.

Tonoyan, appointed defense minister in May 2018 and dismissed on November 20, 2020, once declared while defense minister that Armenia would capture more Azerbaijani territory in any new war.

Some see Tonoyan’s statement as contradicting PM Nikol Pashinyan who recently said while Armenia has sufficient financial means to acquire the arms and ammunition it needs to defend itself, not all countries are ready to sell arms to Armenia.

Pashinyan did not specify who those countries are.