FROM STATE CHAOS TO STREET KILLINGS: THE BLOODY TRAIL OF PASHINYAN’S “MISSING WEAPONS”
So much has already been said about the tragedy of the 44-day war that it may seem there is nothing left to add. Yet every reminder of that war reopens a bleeding wound and serves as further evidence of an unprecedented collapse in state governance. Its consequences include weakened statehood, the deliberate dismantling of state institutions, and deaths in peacetime.
Everyone remembers the disgraceful scenes when, instead of declaring mobilization, imposing strict wartime management, and ensuring proper command over the military hierarchy, Nikol Pashinyan addressed the public on Facebook, urging volunteers to form groups and head to the front line, bringing whatever uniforms they had and even choosing their own commanders. The state — with its regular army, General Staff, military units, and military leadership — effectively abdicated its responsibilities.
In practice, ad hoc armed detachments were formed, many of which were not attached to any military unit and operated outside a unified command structure. These groups were often sent to the front without proper communications equipment, coordination, or clearly assigned combat objectives. They were given weapons and ammunition, yet received no effective command or oversight. They were sent to their deaths without anti-tank weapons, air defense systems, or even basic protective gear.
This was not merely a mistake; it was state-engineered chaos that cost thousands of lives.
There is one aspect of the war that has still not been properly addressed in public discussion. It is an issue that could potentially give rise to criminal proceedings. During the campaign ahead of the 2021 snap parliamentary elections, Nikol Pashinyan effectively acknowledged that weapons had been distributed to civilians during the war on his orders, without proper oversight or registration.
At the time, many dismissed it as just another populist statement. In reality, it amounted to a deeply disturbing admission.
Moreover, during a government meeting on September 12, 2024, Nikol Pashinyan stated:
“After the 44-day war, we have a large number of weapons missing.”
In other words, the prime minister admitted both that weapons had been distributed chaotically among the population and that part of those weapons later disappeared.
And this is where the most troubling questions begin.
Where are those weapons now? How many have disappeared? Was any proper inventory kept? Has anyone been held responsible? And is the growing number of firearm-related crimes in Armenia linked to that “missing” arsenal?
The statistics are alarming. According to the Statistical Committee, 44 crimes involving firearms and ammunition were recorded during the first eight months of 2023. During the same period in 2024, that number rose to 68 — a clear indication of a worsening armed criminal environment in the country.
When gunshots ring out in broad daylight, when murders become part of the daily news cycle, when firearms are used to settle personal and domestic disputes, one unavoidable question arises: where are these weapons coming from?
The shocking events in the settlement of Merdzavan are among the clearest illustrations of this nightmare.
On February 5, 2025, the home of Merdzavan municipal head Mher Akhtoyan came under nighttime attack. As a result, 29-year-old Grigor Ohanyan was killed and a family friend was wounded.
Several months later, on September 23, gunfire erupted in Merdzavan once again. Two people were killed and one was wounded. Among the dead was community head Volodya Grigoryan.
These incidents raise serious questions.
Will an impartial investigation determine whether some of the weapons distributed during the war by order of Pashinyan — without proper registration and later declared “missing” — are now being used in murders, vendettas, and other armed crimes?
If even part of this theory is confirmed, it would mean that the government’s criminal negligence has already led to numerous deaths in peacetime.
Most alarming of all is that the authorities are fully aware of the situation. Yet without a genuine investigation aimed at identifying those politically and criminally responsible for the 44-day war, Armenian citizens will continue to fall victim to these “missing” weapons.
How many more killings must take place before law enforcement dares to confront this issue? How many more “missing” assault rifles must fire in Armenia’s streets before people realize that in 2020 Nikol Pashinyan’s government not only lost the war, but also planted the seeds of violence within its own country?
This cannot continue indefinitely. A change of power in the country will inevitably bring to light the darkest chapters of the war and the secrets of the missing arsenals. Many will ultimately be held accountable for the loss of human lives, the bloodshed, and the criminal chaos inflicted upon the country.
