15 Facts About Mikael Harutyunyan

Mikael Harutyuni Harutyunyan is an Armenian general who served as the Defence Minister of Armenia from 4 April 2007 until 14 April 2008.

Mikael Harutyunyan graduated from the Baku Higher Combined Arms Command School in 1967.

Mikael Harutyunyan served in the Soviet Armed Forces and was stationed in East Germany from 1967 to 1973.

Mikael Harutyunyan was a senior lecturer at the academy from 1988 to 1992.

Mikael Harutyunyan received the rank of lieutenant general in 1996 and that of colonel general in 2002.

The post of defence minister was vacant until 4 April 2007 when Colonel General Mikael Harutyunyan was appointed to the post of Defence Minister.

Mikael Harutyunyan was succeeded by Seyran Ohanyan as minister of defence.

In July 2018, Mikael Harutyunyan came under investigation in connection with the violent crackdown during the 2008 Armenian presidential election protests, which occurred during his tenure as minister of defence.

An order issued by Mikael Harutyunyan was declassifed, which barracked troops and set up and armed "special groups" before the crackdown on protestors in Yerevan.

The Russian news agency Interfax reported that Mikael Harutyunyan has been a Russian citizen since 2002.

Russian officials confirmed that Mikael Harutyunyan has Russian citizenship in December 2018; Russia's constitution forbids the extradition of Russian nationals.

An Armenian investigation confirmed that Mikael Harutyunyan had received Russian citizenship in 2002, at which time he was Chief of the General Staff.

In May 2021, the charges against Mikael Harutyunyan were changed to "exceeding official authority, which negligently caused grave consequences".

Mikael Harutyunyan is the youngest male in a family of 5 sisters and 2 brothers.

Mikael Harutyunyan is a recipient of orders and decorations of USSR, the Republic of Armenia and foreign states:.