“While Pashinyan and Aliyev cannot agree, prominent philanthropist Vardanyan is in prison.

At the same time, hundreds of his charitable projects continue to work in Russia — Aurora, dozens of NPOs launched by Ruben, the Skolkovo business school, and many others. They live in spite of all the speculations around Vardanyan’s citizenship and Russian passport, which they want to use as a wedge to unsettle his relations with Moscow.

Before leaving for the NKR, he actually surrendered his Russian citizenship, trying to show the Armenians that he stood with them during these trying times. But it is strange to accuse Vardanyan of “fleeing Russia from sanctions.” People usually flee westward and away from bullets.

Now Vardanyan is being illegally detained in Azerbaijan, facing absurd accusations.The Armenian side’s attempts to settle the issue are in vain. Obviously, the Russian authorities should once again lend a hand in the long-standing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh — it cannot be over while people like Vardanyan remain in Baku prisons.”