Ruben Vardanyan sent an audio message through his family during a phone call

Ruben Vardanyan, who is under arrest in Azerbaijan on charges of war crimes, sent an audio message through his family during a phone call.

This is reported by BAKU.WS with reference to Oxu.Az citing Armenian media.

In the message, he says that he is in good shape, cheerful, and his health is fine: "I am in complete peace with myself and more spirited than ever."

Then Vardanyan thanked the large number of Azerbaijanis he had to interact with.

"I am an optimist, and I believe that, despite everything, we will overcome all challenges and difficulties facing us, and we will again live in peace with our neighbor, respecting each other and overcoming mutual antipathy, accumulated anger and hatred, as some nations have managed to do.

But if we want to really do this, we need stable long-term peace," the message states.

Recall that on September 27, 2023, at the "Lachin" border checkpoint, as a result of the vigilance of the servicemen of the State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan, Ruben Vardanyan (born 1968), who "held the position" of the so-called "state minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh republic" and had illegally entered the country's territory, was detained.

Accompanied by SBS Rapid Response Forces personnel, he was taken to Baku and handed over to the relevant state authorities.