Arshak Karapetyan
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Arshak Karapetyan
| image = File:Министр обороны России провел в Москве переговоры с армянским коллегой 03 (Arshak Karapetyan).jpg
| caption = Karapetyan in 2021
| imagesize =
| office = Minister of Defence
| president = Armen Sarkissian
| term_start = 3 August 2021{{Cite web|url=https://mil.am/en/news/9727|title=Release}}
| term_end = 15 November 2021
| primeminister = Nikol Pashinyan
| predecessor = Vagharshak Harutiunyan
| successor = Suren Papikyan
| relations =
| restingplace =
| death_place =
| death_date =
| birth_place = Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1967|02|06}}
| awards =
| battles =
| rank = Major general
| serviceyears = 1993–2018
2021–present
| branch = {{navy|USSR}} (until 1991)
{{armed forces|Armenia}} (since 1991)
| nickname =
| religion =
| occupation =
| alma_mater = Frunze Military Academy
| native_name_lang = hy
| native_name = {{nobold|Արշակ Կարապետյան}}
}}
Arshak Karapetyan ({{langx|hy|Արշակ Կարապետյան}}; born 6 February 1967) is an Armenian major general who served as Minister of Defense of Armenia from 3 August to 15 November 2021.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Arshak Karapetyan - Staff - Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia - The Government of Armenia|url=https://www.gov.am/en/staff-structure/other/933/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-22|website=www.gov.am|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225200715/https://www.gov.am/en/staff-structure/other/933/ |archive-date=2021-02-25 }}
Biography
Arshak Karapetyan was born on 6 February 1967 in Yerevan.{{Cite web|last=|title=ՀՀ ՊՆ - Արշակ Կարապետյան|url=https://mil.am/hy/persons/144|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810222848/https://mil.am/hy/persons/144|archive-date=2021-08-10|access-date=2021-08-10|website=mil.am|publisher=Ministry of Defence of Armenia|language=hy}} From 1984 to 1989 he studied in Russia at the Kaliningrad Higher Naval College. From 1994 to 1997 he studied at the Frunze Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces, graduating with a gold medal. In 2006 he took an English-language military course at the University of York in the United Kingdom, and in 2008 took a course at the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces. In 2011, he attended courses at Harvard Kennedy School.
He served in the Armed Forces of Armenia from 1993 to 2018.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-20|title=Ով է ՊՆ նախարարի առաջին տեղակալ նշանակված Արշակ Կարապետյանը. կենսագրություն|url=https://lurer.com/?p=427249&l=am|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-11|website=lurer.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811155605/https://lurer.com/?p=427249&l=am |archive-date=2021-08-11 }} He holds the rank of major general. From 2018 to 2021 he was an advisor to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. From 13 April to 20 July 2021 he was the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia.{{Cite web|title=STATEMENT by virtue of the law, Arshak Karapetyan is considered to be appointed to the post of First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia|url=https://www.primeminister.am/en/press-release/item/2021/04/13/Nikol-Pashinyan-Announcement/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=www.primeminister.am|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Arshak Karapetyan appointed Armenia's First Deputy Chief of General Staff with the force of law|url=https://www.aysor.am/en/news/2021/04/13/arshak-karapetyan/1821904|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-22|website=www.aysor.am|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414233900/https://www.aysor.am/en/news/2021/04/13/arshak-karapetyan/1821904 |archive-date=2021-04-14 }} On 20 July 2021, by the decision of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, he was appointed First Deputy Minister of Defense, and on 2 August of the same year, he was appointed Minister of Defense.{{Cite web|title=Arshak Karapetyan appointed Armenian Minister of Defense|url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1059677|access-date=2021-08-22|website=armenpress.am|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Arshak Karapetyan appointed Armenia's Defense Minister|url=https://en.armradio.am/2021/08/02/arshak-karapetyan-appointed-armenias-defense-minister/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Public Radio of Armenia|language=en-US}}
Karapetyan was dismissed on 15 November 2021 and succeeded by Suren Papikyan.{{Cite web|date=2021-11-15|title=Armenian Defense Chief Sacked, New Appointed|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31561964.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-15|website=Azatutyun|language=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115110656/https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31561964.html |archive-date=2021-11-15 }} after reporting full control over the border with Azerbaijan the previous day despite Azerbaijani forces having already infiltrated it. He then established a political group critical of Pashinyan called the All-Armenian Front, which called for closer relations with Russian and Iran.{{Cite web|date=30 December 2024 |title=Former Armenian defense minister briefly detained in Moscow |url=https://kyivindependent.com/former-armenian-defense-minister-briefly-detained-in-moscow/ |access-date=30 December 2024 |website=The Kyiv Independent }}
Karapetyan became wanted in Armenia on charges of illegal participation in business activities and abuse of power. He also has extensive business ties in Russia, including partnerships with Armenian-born Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, with whom he has no biological relation to.{{Cite web|date=30 December 2024 |title=Former Armenian Defense Minister Arrested in Moscow|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/12/30/former-armenian-defense-minister-arrested-in-moscow-a87486 |access-date=30 December 2024 |website=The Moscow Times }}
On 29 December 2024, Karapetyan was arrested by Russian authorities in Moscow following a request from Armenia, but was released on bail shortly afterwards.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Defence Ministers of Armenia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karapetyan, Arshak}}
Category:21st-century Armenian military personnel
Category:Alumni of the University of York
Category:Frunze Military Academy alumni