Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan commented on audio recordings released by the country's Investigative Committee. According to Simonyan, these recordings contain evidence of attempts to seize state power involving Vardan Ghukasyan, the mayor of the second-largest city of Gyumri, and his supporters.
"They will end up behind bars for a long time," Simonyan stated in his video address.
Earlier, the Investigative Committee of Armenia released audio recordings showing Ghukasyan and his accomplices taking steps to prepare a violent takeover. In one recording, the mayor allegedly says that "he won't take a single step without the Russians."
Vardan Ghukasyan was arrested in October 2025 on suspicion of bribery. He was subsequently charged with attempted usurpation of power and calls for the renunciation of Armenia's sovereignty.
In January 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Ghukasyan's arrest was related to his political beliefs. However, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan rejected this claim, emphasizing that there is no political persecution in Armenia and that such statements constitute unacceptable interference in the country's internal affairs.
Vardan Ghukasyan himself is considered one of the most pro-Russian high-ranking officials in Armenia. His defense insists that the charges against him are politically motivated, pointing to Ghukasyan's public statements in support of a close alliance with Russia.
