By Sahil Group

MOSCOW, April 2. The issue of deliveries and sales of military equipment was included in the agenda of today’s meeting of the State Duma of Russia. The MP’s have decided to hear the information of Lev Rohlin, the chairman of Duma’s Committee on Defense.

According to your decision an investigation was conducted by me on the facts of illegal transfer of arms to the Republic of Armenia.

It was easy for me to take a decision on necessity of making public the information about deliveries of arms and military property to Armenia. I understand possible consequences of this step. But, analyzing the situation, I have come to a conclusion, that it is possible to change current state policy towards CIS countries, that contradicts with the legal documents on foundation of CIS and harms to Russia on international arena, only under pressure of public opinion. That is so for the following reasons.

First, current selective policy towards Transcaucasian countries on the issues of deliveries of arms is extremely dangerous, creating preconditions for the occurrence of a new conflict situation on Caucasus and involving Russia in it. Artificially creating the arms advantage of one state over others, certain political forces in Russia push these states closer to military wags of solving problems, by using the acquired arms’ advanrtage. Both Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have emerged from within the same country-Soviet Union. And each of these countries friends and relatives live.

Second, there seems to be no aspiration on the part of political leadership of Russia to change for best negative policy towards separate Transcaucausian Republics.

Third, arms transfer becomes more and more uncontrolled, with active participation of structures of “mafia”.

Fourth, armed forces of Russia are being plundered and nobbled, and defence complex destroyed. Acception of urgent measures against this kind of anarchy is necessary.

This report is not directed against Armenia. In the same way I am against similar, in this or that way latent arms shipments to any of CIS countries.

I am ready to confirm each further mentioned case of arms’ transfer documentally.

The division of the property of 7-th Army of former USSR dislocated in Armenia, consisting of artillery complex and three division complexes was completed in 1992. Military bases in Guniry and Yerevan were left to the Russian side. These bases include infantry division (a regiment of the latter), located there, also a part of a equipment and arms. This military bases became a part of the established Groupping of Russian troops in Transcaucausus (GRVZ).

Thus. afetr the division that took place, by January 1, 1990 any mutual claims of Russia to Armenia on the arms ownership are excluded.

However, despite it, in a period from 1993 to 1996 the groupping of Russian troops in Transcaucausus transferred to Armenia huge quantity of anns and ammunition, including:

8 operative - tactical misile R-17 complexes’ launchers, to which in May- June 1996 24 missiles were transferred and equal amount of warheads;
27 surface-to-air systems “Krug” and 349 missiles for them;
40 missiles for “Osa’ surface-to-air complex;
84 T-72 battle tanks and 50 BMP-2 ACVs with spares and equipment for it;
36 D-30 howitzers (calibre 122 mm ), 18 D-20 howitzers and 18 D-1 howitzers (calibre 152 mm)
18 “Grad” multiple missile systems
40 portable “Igla” anti-aircraft systems and 200 missiles for them
26 mortars and 7910 assault rifles;
306 machine-guns and 1847 pistols;
20 grenade launchers;
Up to 230 million (227253000) of different types of bullets including small-calibre machine-guns;
Up to 480 thousand (478480) shells for ACV(BMP-2) and “Shilka’ ‘ s;
Up to 500 thousand (489160) shells for howitzers, battle tanks, BMP-1;
4 BM anti-tank self-targeting missiles and about 350 thousand (345800) hand grenades, as well as plenty of other weaponry, equipment and military property ( appendix 1).

This transfer was made without the conclusion of any interstate agreement, and that fact has caused the infringements.

The opinion of comission having operated at the troops was that many items were transfened illegally.

I present data from the final document of the comission:

At the same time careful documentary auditing has indicated, that in 1992-1996 facts of transfer of following arms and military equipment from the groupping to the Transcaucausian republics without appropriate orders and instructions took place.

Missile and artillery weaponry - 9 500 units;
600 railway cars of ammunition;
Numerous armoured vehicles and equipment;
That corresponds to the initial documents of this period, confirming losses.
Fuel for 21314 equipment units, 64.2 thousand tons of fuel; communications equipment and property - 15977 for units of communications and 41003 kms. of cable.

In the mass media there were the disproofs published to my statement on Russia having transferred to Armenia 84 battle tanks and 50 ACV’s BMP-2.

On details about transportation of 50 tanks through nineteen flights of “Rouslan” aircraft from Akhtuhinsk to Yerevan I’ll say later. Now I’m reporting on other facts.

25 T-72 tanks with spares of 13 kinds (under the instruction of General Staff 33165/0182 from 29.09.94) are transferred from 102nd military base located in Gurnrv. Earlier the spare parts were delivered there on 11, 14 and 21 October, 1994, by three flights from airport of Kubinka and one flight from Karnenka (Penza).

5 tanks were transferred from Transcacasian groupping (4-from military base of Vasiani/Georgia/ and 1- from Gumry);
4 tanks and 33 BMP-2 were transferred from 142nd repair factory upon the instruction of General Staff N 316 13/048 dated 26.02.1996;

17 BMP-2 - from military base in Batoumi. That means that the transfer indicated by me on quantity of tanks and BMP-2 is being completely conffrtned.

By the instruction of General staff No.503/23-26 dated 20.07.96 by five 11-76 also 85 tons of spares for the abovementioned were transported from airport of Chkalovskaya.

The military base in Gumry by 1 January, 1993 was equipped entirely with arms, military equipment and ammunition and for 25 percent - by personal.

Therefore ihe use of ammunition for military exercices was practically paltry. And you perfectly understand the reason for deliveries of such amounts of ammunition. They were intended for war between two CIS countries.

Ammunution stores were checked by me in Mozdok (military unit 30184). From August 1992 till January 1994 66 IL-76 flights and two AN-12 flights transported about 1.300 tons of ammunition from airport of Mozdok to Yerevan.

From the same stores in February-June 1994, by two trips of a naval vessel “General Ryabikov “ and by transport PRTB-33 more ammunition was transported to Armenia via Novorossiysk and Batoumi.

I don’t think, that all listed above was done disinterestedly. I will give you one example.

From November 8 to November 28. 1995. and from June 28 to August 6, 1996 31 AN-fl4 flights and 13 IL-76 flights have transferred 50 T-72 tanks, property and spares to them, 38 D-30 howitzers. IS D-1 howitzers, 18 D-l howitzers, 18 “Grad” multiple missiles systems, 40 portable “Igla” anti-aircraft systems and 200 missiles for them. 12600 shells for the mentioned guns, inc1uding 1440- ‘Grad”’ systems from airbase “Jasmin” (Akhtubinsk) to airport of Zvartnots.

The property was shipped to Akhtubinsk by six troop-trains. Tanks from Omsk, ammunition from Volgograd, artillery from Irkutsk, Sverdlovsk, Perm areas (oblast). The transfer of all this equipment. arms and ammunition to Armenia was supervised by General-Mayor A.Stepanyan, former Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic Armenia for external relations.

Armenian side paid for the transportation of military equipment and ammunition. Only for the dispatch armoured vehicles property from Omsk the sum of 632.606.333 roubles was paid in dollars by the representive of ministry of defence of Armenia, major M.Isahyan.For the transportation of five troop-trains with artillery guns and ammunition army has paid 1.187.900.000 roubles.

In cases when the state structures have refused to fuel planes for flights to Armenia, the Armenians purchased fuel from commercial structures.

High command of Air Forse turned out to be far more generous. It has not required payments for 31 “Rouslan” flights and 13 IL-76 flights, the cost of the lease of those aircrafts totalling 2.847.062.000 roubles.Money for work of a loading command (40 persons) and for use of transportation means for transportation and loading of equipment was not required either.

Is it not too generous a gift at the state account? What was the motivation for that generosity?

It was possible to consider this as a commercial bargain on the base of constant presence of the representatives of commercial firm “RRR” Mr. A.Prokopenko and Mr.V.Selifonov, who stayed there during the whole of the operation (75 days in general) and paid the hotel (N 6) not Qnly for themselves, but also for the crue. The firm “RRR’ was close to High Command of Air Force. It employed close relatives of the Command staff and dealt with wholesale trade, air transportation, using first of all military -transport aviation. Obviously, not accidentally, only the insiders were admitted to arms operations. After carrying out the Akhtubinsk affair the account of “RRR” Ltd. in “Oktyabrsky” branch of ‘Inkombank’ was closed on August 20, 1996.

This particular bargain for Russia was worth about 70 mln. (68.878.542) dollars.

It is unknown just, in whose pockets that money is now. To whom it was necessary and where it was aimed in late 1995 -1996 years?

And you see, the 24 operative - tactical missiles and warheads for R-17 transferred to Armenia in 1996 are enough for annihilation of the city of Baku. It is for these systems that the service crew and experts from Armenia were trained from May 23 to June 19 at the firing-field of Kapoustin Yar.

Intensive character of arms’ transfers in 1 996 testifies that the leadership of the country has no intention to change current policy.

Who is the main initiator of these shipments? It is doubtless, that no large step in the ministry of defence was not done without niinister Grachev being aware of it. Neither did chief of General Staff M.Kolesnikov do anything without informing him. The question remains, who could give the “first command to Grachev on such transfers.

Let me remind You, that the shipments of ammunition from Armenia by air began in late 1992.

With the dismissal of Grachev arms shipments proceeded in 1996 in secrecy to conceal them from newly appointed minister of defence. Being aware of the chief of General Staff Kolesnikov’s cautioousness, I have no doubt, that if to issue the orders on continuation of shipments bypassing the minister of defence I.Rodionov. he had to et the insructions from rather high-ranking authorities.

As shows the analysis of the documents on arms’ shipments in CAID and AF “the personal initiative” of the certain high officers was involved as well

As an example I would like to cite one of documents.

This is letter by the minister of defence of the Republic of Armenia Sarkisyan addresed to the minister of defence Grachev and dated November 2, 1993:

“Dear Pavel Sergeyevich,

Regarding current difficulties in the repairs of armoured vehicles of Armenian Armed Forces, I request your assistance in purchase of spare parts according to enclosure. I guarantee payment”.

Follows resolution of Grachev dated November 4, 1993: “I allow the sell in due order”.

Leaving moral and political aspects of arms’ transfers as well as the issue of Russian military safety, it is clear from this document, that initially nobody was going to give and receive weapons free of charge.

How it came, that for all these arms Russia has not received no one single rouble? Maybe, someone has received it by cash or on his accounts with foreign banks?

The minimal financial losses of Russia as a result of such policy have reached the amount of about 1 billion dollars.

For the same sum of money the military could have received:

Not less than 30 thousand apartments;

The salary for all officers and war-rant-officers of Armed Forces of Russia for the period of 3 months.

This sum makes 50 percent from appropriations allocated in budget for the purchase of arms in 1996, i.e. it could provide work for the whole complex of the defense enterprises for half a year.

Only for transportation of the military property to Armenia 139 flights were accomplished by “Rouslan” and IL-76 totalling 7.950 millions of roubles. The cost of the same flights with civil commercial organIzations would have made by AN-IA is 1.5 times, and by IL-76 -2,2 times more expensive, than by planes of military - transport aviation. Such sharp variation in prices permits the military officers to use surpluses at their own discretion.

Who in Russia is given the right to dissipate its property in such harsh economic situation? How comes this anarchy became possible? Why does plundering and destruction of army. defense industry of Russia occur? Why is it so simple and easy to violate the Constitution of the country? Why are the relations between the former republics of USSR being based on pitting them against each other and blood?

In all the abovernentioned cases the bodies of prosecutors office (procuratura) should necessarily make it straight with guilty ones and to name the officials, who have contravened the law and are subject to hear responsibility for their criminal actions, having caused irreparable moral and material losses for a nation and state.

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