Azerbaijan detained the former state minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

Author:
Kostia Andreikovets
Date:
Azerbaijan detained the former state minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

Прикордонна служба Азербайджану

Azerbaijani border guards detained the former state minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Ruben Vardanyan. He held this position from November 4, 2022 to February 23, 2023.

This was reported by the Border Service of Azerbaijan.

Vardanyan was detained at the checkpoint in the Lachyn corridor when he was trying to leave Karabakh for Armenia. He was taken to Baku, where "he was handed over to the relevant state authorities."

The Armenian media previously wrote that Baku has a list of NKR representatives who are being demanded to be extradited.

Vardanyan is considered a pro-Russian businessman and politician. In an investigation by "The Washington Times", he was called one of the richest people in Russia and a close friend of Putin. Vardanyan is accused of laundering money through offshore companies and transferring funds to those close to the Putin regime.