$700 million to Armenian world: what did Ruben Vardanyan, accused of terrorism, spend his money on - Forbes

ArmInfo. In the fall of 2022, Ruben Vardanyan renounced Russian citizenship, moved to Nagorno-Karabakh and, from November 4, 2022, headed the government of the unrecognized republic. After his resignation from this position in February 2023, he remained to live in Artsakh, Forbes writes.

The magazine  reminds that on September 19, Azerbaijan announced the start of so-called "local anti- terrorism measures" in the de jure (ed. note) unrecognized republic and within 24 hours gained control over its entire territory.

"A week later, Vardanyan tried to leave Nagorno-Karabakh, but was detained at the border crossing by Azerbaijani security forces.  Azerbaijan accuses him of illegally crossing the border, financing terrorism and establishing illegal armed groups," the source writes.

At the same time, Forbes compiled a selection of the main charitable projects on which billionaire Ruben Vardanyan spent money.

"A little more than a month after the appointment of Ruben Vardanyan as head of the NKR government, Azerbaijan called him an "alien element" in Karabakh. "The sooner this person leaves this region, the better it will be for everyone; first of all, the local population suffers from this,"  said then ] head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Jeyhun Bayramov. Almost simultaneously, the Lachin corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia was blocked in December 2022. The blockade lasted until September 2023 and ended with the cessation of the existence of the unrecognized republic and the flight of the entire Armenian population to Armenia.

Azerbaijan's hostility towards Vardanyan personally is quite understandable - thanks to his help, Karabakh was able to hold out during the blockade. In 2022,  the We Are Our Mountains Territorial Development Agency was founded with his participation. Through the agency, using funds from Vardanyan's family and donations from donors (about $450,000), more than 187 tons of food were purchased and distributed to the residents of Karabakh. Another 96 tons were received free of charge through the agency. Water supply and heating systems were purchased for water supply systems - a total of $187,000. About $110,000 was spent on establishing mobile primary health care teams for rural residents, including the purchase of electric vehicles. And about $172,000 were spent to buy Christmas gifts for 12,000 children under 10 years old."

As Forbes was told by the IDeA Foundation founded by Ruben Vardanyan, his family and partners invested more than $700 million in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, etc. from 2001 to 2023. In addition to investments in the economic development of Armenia, about $430 million was allocated to education ($202 million), humanitarian initiatives ($68 million), projects in the field of culture and preservation of historical and cultural heritage ($20 million), regional development through projects in the field of tourism, urban planning and infrastructure ($108 million), projects in the field of science and technology, healthcare and agroecology ($13 million).

"Vardanyan invested $8 million in various projects in Nagorno-Karabakh. He began helping the unrecognized republic long before moving there. In 2008, the "Big Wedding" in Karabakh project was implemented, when about 700 couples got married at the same time.  Ruben Vardanyan personally served as best man for 232 newlywed couples, and later he became the godfather of 428 children born in these marriages. Thanks to Vardanyan's participation, in 2017, the Surb Astvatsatsin (Saint Mother-of-God) Church in the village of Mushkapat was restored, and in 2019, the restoration of the Govhar Agha Mosque  in the city of Shushi was completed," the source  notes.