Armenian President Armen Sarkissian dismissed Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan and appointed Vagharshak Harutyunyan in the post on Friday, November 20.

Tonoyan became the country's Defense Minister in May 2018, after the "velvet revolution" that saw the appointment of opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan as Armenia's new Prime Minister. Tonoyan served as the Minister of Emergency Situations between February 2017 and May 2018, and the First Deputy Minister of Defense between 2010-2017.

Harutyunyan, who is now leaving his post as the Chief Adviser to the Armenian Prime Minister, served as the country's Defense Minister in 1999-2000.

Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev have signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Karabakh (Artsakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan has said he has agreed to the deal signed by Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.