April 26, 2026
In 1921, the book “The Great Crime” of the Diaspora Armenian writer-publicist Aram Antonyan, in the documentary genre, was published in Boston. Aram Antonyan (1887-1952) was one of the few people who managed to leave the Deir-el-Zor desert alive during the Armenian Genocide, where Armenians were massacred or starved to death.
The book presented for the first time important documents related to the Armenian Genocide: testimonies, official orders, codes, telegrams, letters and other written sources. The book contains Naim Bey’s memoirs, some secret documents belonging to him, and Talaat Pasha’s telegrams.
Naim Bey gave those documents to Aram Antonyan. By reading those cables, secret documents, we get a complete picture of how Ottoman Turkey organized the Armenian Genocide, what orders Talaat gave, and what method they used to carry out the massacres of Armenians.
In Talaat’s secret cables, we notice that he openly talks about Armenians, who should be sent to massacre the deserts. We read about it in Talaat’s December 1915 telegram.
N 801
“Party of Aleppo.
To every individual.
The Armenians working in railway and other constructions have also been decided to be sent to their places of deportation, and the army commanders have been informed about this by the Ministry of War. Report the result.
26 Dec. 915. “Home Secretary Tallead.” (Antonyan A., “The Great Crime”, Boston, 1921, p. 58).
Already in one of the telegrams of 1916, we read about the removal of the Armenians of Western Armenia from their settlements, taking them to the desert and massacring them.
N 840
“Party of Aleppo.
“We heard that there are 40-50,000 Armenians, most of them women and children, along the roads of the lines extending from Intil, Ayran to Aleppo. The most severe punishment will be given to those persons who will be the cause of a concentration of misery on those positions which are of great importance for military deployment. Therefore, after negotiating with the government of Atana, send those Armenians on foot to their places of exile (deserts) immediately, without going to Aleppo. I am anxiously waiting for you to report the result within a week.”
16 January 916: “Interior Minister Tallead”. (Ibid., p. 59).
In the telegrams, we also find facts about how women, children and the elderly were convinced that their husbands, husbands and fathers would join their families during migration or immediately after moving to a so-called “safe place”.
N 860
“Party of Aleppo.
“Answer to January 27 916 summons. –
Convince us that the men will eventually join them, and send them to the places of exile.
2 February 916: “Interior Minister Tallead”. (Ibid., p. 61).
Aram Antonyan’s “Great Crime” is one of the first important documentary works of the Armenian Genocide, which is based on real documents and testimonies. Secret materials and Talaat Pasha’s cables reveal the planned and coordinated nature of the genocide. Those documents clearly show how the Ottoman authorities organized the deportation and massacre of Armenians, deceiving and misleading the Armenians.
These facts show the real mechanisms of genocide as a crime organized by the Turks.
Z. Sh:i was late
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What was the role of transport corridors in the context of the Armenian Genocide?
April 26, 2026
“In order to understand the role of transport corridors in the context of the Armenian Genocide, the Berlin-Baghdad railway megaproject, which was one of the important tools of Germany’s colonial strategy, is key,” he recalled this important historical episode in a conversation with 168.am. political scientist Vahe Davtyan.
The political scientist noted that the 2,500 km long railway line was intended to provide a direct connection between Germany and the regions rich in oil resources in Mesopotamia, including the territories of present-day Iraq, Kuwait, northern Saudi Arabia and eastern Syria, which were part of the Ottoman Empire at that time.
«A key hub in this system was the port of Basra, on the banks of the Shatt al-Arab River, which was seen as an outlet to the Persian Gulf. The project immediately came into conflict with the geopolitical interests of Great Britain. As a result, in 1913 Anglo-German-French negotiations on the status of the Persian Gulf and Kuwait stipulated that the railway should end at Basra without direct access to the Gulf. With this decision, Britain effectively reasserted its influence in the Ottoman territories, a fact whose long-term consequences are still noticeable later.
It is no coincidence that a number of Western researchers consider this very project as one of the structural prerequisites of the First World War. At the same time, the construction of the railway required enormous human resources. Since 1914, the Ottoman authorities began to conscription of Armenian men aged 16-60 into “labor battalions”, where they were involved in hard construction work, often subject to systematic extermination. In most cases, after finishing the work, they were simply killed on the spot.
In addition, the same railway network was also used as the main logistical route for the deportations. Armenians were transported to the Syrian deserts that way. Although the construction of the Berlin-Baghdad railway was completed only in 1940, already in completely different geopolitical conditions, its role in the process of organizing the Genocide and mass deportation of the Armenian population remains unmistakable.“, he elaborated.
To the observation that another infrastructure called TRIPP is being designed in our territory. where will it lead us, Vahe Davtyan responded, noting that historical experience is also important for understanding current processes.
«Today, the corridor being planned through Syunik should be considered not only from the point of view of economic efficiency, but also from the point of view of political consequences. Any “corridor” logic presupposes a functional reformulation of the territory, turning it into a zone where the priority is not the sovereign interests of the given state, but the strategic requirements of external forces. In the case of Armenia, a number of risks arise here.
First, the erosion of sovereignty, when control, security or management of infrastructure may fall outside national jurisdiction. Second, the deepening of economic and political dependencies within the country, when communication channels begin to work not for national development, but for serving the interests of foreign centers. And finally, the vulnerability of the security system, because such corridors often become a tool of not only economic, but also military-political pressure.“, the political scientist elaborated.
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Nikol Pashinyan is afraid of Onik Gasparyan, and Onik Gasparyan is afraid of him. Gagik
April 26, 2026
“Pressing” in the program historian, political scientist Gagik Hambaryan spoke about Nikol Pashinyan’s lies and manipulations of CP members in general, which generally have one goal: to distract the public from the most important agenda issues.
“Our society likes to focus on secondary events, leaving the important ones behind. All Nikolents actions are aimed at that. And the important thing was that Seyran Ohanyan directly accused Nikol from the NA podium for handing over Artsakh and giving Shushi to the Azerbaijanis. The Defense Ministry of Artsakh was not responsible for the Hadrut-Fizouli-Jabrayil direction, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, led by Nikol Pashinyan and Onik Gasparyan, was responsible for it.
Nicole fell into hysteria from the sitting place, she was moving her legs, clicking her fingers, taking off and putting on her glasses… Then very soon she found herself, called the society a dog and a scumbag, and people turned on her. If during the past 5 years, Onik Gasparyan has not been charged, it means that he is afraid of Onik Gasparyan, and Onik Gasparyan is afraid of him,” said Gagik Hambaryan.
Maramas in the video.
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Pashinyan scares with war… Let people look at the facts, where are they today?
April 26, 2026
“Pressing” in the program doctor of political science, former chairman of the RA National Assembly Tigran Torosyan Referring to Nikol Pashinyan’s statements about terrorizing the people with war, he said:
“Nikol Pashinyan scares citizens with war, blackmails them. People who fear war, however, should remember what happened in the last 8 years and what happened before that. We have found ourselves in such a situation that today Artsakh and significant areas of Armenia are under the occupation of Azerbaijan. Is this peace?
When one side refuses to defend itself, to resist, the other side no longer needs to fight. It is no coincidence that Aliyev said: we will not enter Yerevan with tanks, but with passenger cars… Let people look at the facts: where are the Azerbaijanis today, and where were they before 2018?
So, these are the ones who bring disaster, war, losses, genocide, ethnic cleansing.
He brought war, disaster, genocide and ethnic cleansing. He did not and cannot bring peace.
Garegin Nzhdeh did not say: go to war, he said: be ready for war, have a strong will and a strong army. We have been peaceful when we resisted the enemy, when we defended our home and land. At that time, father and son Aliyev did not get along, they had cut ties. Just 2 years before they came to power, Ilham Aliyev complained that behind closed doors he was being forced to recognize the independence of Artsakh. There can be real peace only after they leave, when the other party realizes that if they commit aggression, they will receive a worthy response.”
Details in the video.
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Aliyev must give compensation, and the people of Artsakh will go back and fulfill their wish
April 26, 2026
“Is the problem of Azerbaijani refugees new, and Azerbaijan did not know that there are Azerbaijani refugees? The number of Armenians who became refugees from Azerbaijan is about 400,000, from Baku, Kirovabad, Sumgait, Shahumyan, Getashen… these are the figures of the United Nations and which are not talked about today. If you are a competent government, you will demand from the international courts that the problem be considered fully and impartially. At that time, it will be clear that Azerbaijan is obliged to compensate the Armenian refugees, and this should not include the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, who must return to Artsakh and fully exercise their right to self-determination.” “Pressing” Tigran Torosyan, doctor of political science, former chairman of the RA National Assembly, said in the program.
According to him: Azerbaijan used to talk about one million refugees, but it was quickly revealed in international courts that their number is 8,600. Azerbaijan was just embarrassed… On any issue we have strong arguments to show that we have counter-arguments on any issue raised by Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan does not need to recognize the territorial integrity of Armenia, who is Azerbaijan to recognize or not to recognize, it just needs to respect the UN charter, which states that UN member states are obliged to recognize and respect each other’s territorial integrity,” said the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly.
The latter noted that international law will return to its place, because humanity cannot throw away regulatory norms, considering the relations and conflicts of so many states.
“I especially want to say that the people of Artsakh will return to Artsakh and achieve the recognition of their self-determination, only on one condition, in case of appropriate professional work,” concluded Tigran Torosyan.
Մանրամասները՝տեսանյութում:
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How Armenian women kept their family and identity. embroidery: scotch
April 26, 2026
Since when did Armenian women do needlework, what did it mean, how lives were saved thanks to needlework? We talked about this ethnographer, candidate of historical sciences Karine Bazeyan with.
– Since when did Armenians do needlework?
– Embroidery has an ancient origin. Since it is an organic material, the thread and cloth decay very quickly, and we do not have documented ancient examples of it, but there are sources that prove that embroidery has existed among Armenians for several thousand years. In all cases, in the first book translated into Armenian, the Bible, embroidery already exists as a term, and this means that it was known. It was a predominantly women’s occupation.
From the Middle Ages, we know for sure that embroidery was widespread and a craft in great demand. Workshops where men worked, donations were made to the church, particularly the Mother See of St. Etchmiadzin.
We have evidence that embroidery reached a high level of perfection in the early Middle Ages, and this shows that it is much older, because it takes a long way to reach perfection.
– Did they find the oldest fabric from Ani?
– Until recently, it was from Ani, but a large collection of fabric came out of the Areni excavations, and a small piece of embroidery was found. It appears to be a piece of clothing made of woolen threads. In other words, it is completely folk embroidery. It dates back to the 7th-9th centuries of our era. This is the oldest example that was found in Armenia, and Ani’s was found earlier, it came to light during the excavations of Mar and Orbelu, and it is elite, because the embroidery is with gold threads, the fabric is silk, it is from the burial outfit of a girl child of a relative of Tigran Honents. Both the dress is silk, and the cover thrown over the face and under the head, which are also embroidered and represent the elite embroidery of the 13th century.
– Is there a difference in decorative patterns between the samples found during the excavations?
– Folk embroidery is a bit simpler both in terms of material and technique. it is made with wool thread, the texture is a bit stiff. We see patterns in both carpets and rugs. And as for the clothing found in Ani, it is gold thread embroidery, flat. The other one is the one made by twisting gold and silk thread, which was widely used in Western Armenia. In Cilicia, in Upper Hayk, this technique was widespread until the end of the 19th century, the beginning of the 20th century. If you compare the patterns, you can see that there is a similarity, especially in the part of the tree of life. It is more expressed in the clothing complex of the High Hayk woman.
– For example, there were other ornaments in Syunik, Artsakh․ They embroidered a star flower, a jug.
– Of course, this is what makes our embroidery interesting, that it is very diverse, and every region has its own ways of expression. The materials, threads, objects, the combination of colors are different. You clearly build which ornament should be where, because meaning is placed in all of them.
– The dragon, snake ornament was widespread․ what does this mean?
– Our people have snake worship in their ancient beliefs. A little later, the snake turned into a dragon, because there is no real dragon, it is a mythical snake, which is bigger and has a different function. It has a double meaning in Armenian mythology. positive and negative. It represents both evil and good power. Dragon stones were placed in water sources in Armenia, they protected the water and in this sense they are connected with the water element.
And the snake is still used in our vocabulary. they say “it is as cunning as a snake”, but the preserved and recorded ethnographic materials from almost all regions of the RA show that the snake was considered an animal that brings success to the family, protects it, and ensures well-being. The people have always said: “The house is the house”, and the snakes that have come and lived in the barns for a long time, the aunties even fed those snakes, they put milk in bowls so that the snake would come, eat the milk and leave.
– Is it true that Armenians used to keep snakes in their apartments?
– Not that they kept the snake, but the snake came. He comes by himself, you don’t go to fetch. The snake chose, went to the pantry, because the food was there, they noticed, because the ground was made of soil, the trajectory could be seen. That winding had to go later, it was manifested in our jewelry, in the form of the Armenian capital letter T. We see this image in rugs, carpets, embroidery, and this shows that it was placed in the given object to protect the given family. Not every family had a snake, so a pictorial snake was used in the house. They covered something with it, for example, a chest, threw it on bread, etc. What is interesting in our embroidery? that they are usually found in borders.
– Did the ornaments have a sinister meaning?
– They had different meanings. The snake in the ornament is protective. It is also related to fertility.
The Tree of Life, which is the tree of life itself, symbolizes growth, fertilization, and wealth. The main support of Artsakh towels is the ornament. Only the Tree of Life with the pair of birds on it. Fertility is expressed in that way here. That is why this ornament is made on festive, ceremonial towels.
In Vaspurakan, Syunik, Artsakh, we have a custom when before Easter, on Good Friday, two types of protective functions were performed. On the one hand, blacksmiths quietly and silently made iron rings and bracelets, which were then worn by children and newly-wed women as amulets, and in the case of embroidery, on Good Friday, mothers made images of the Tree of Life with small beads on the backs of their children. In other regions, an image of a snake or a scorpion may be made to protect the child. It was already a bulwark, it would protect against all kinds of damage.
– What did the colors mean?
– The main colors were red, blue and green. A little more yellow. Red symbolizes life, green symbolizes fertility. green road, vegetation… Our wedding ceremony is completely related to red and green. We have types of embroidery that are done only in white, and in this case it is of purely territorial, local significance.
– The traditions of which embroidery school continue to this day?
– There came a time when embroidery declined, and this was due to a number of circumstances: both political and socio-economic. Until the beginning of the 20th century, when our people lived in their cradle, continued to create, carried that culture.
After the Armenian Genocide, they left the cradle. For Armenian women, embroidery is a sign of identity. Diaspora-Armenian women tried to keep their Armenianness through needlework and continued to create for that reason.
As a result of the genocide, a large number of Armenian women who appeared in European and Middle Eastern countries were able to support their families in a completely new, unfamiliar environment, without knowing the language, with manual labor. It was the grace of their hands, with which they were able to find a living for the children. Not only did they keep the children, but also by selling the handicrafts, they gave the children education in different countries.
In other words, it was a lifeline for our women, a very important sign of identity, that’s why they keep it to this day. And it was due to this that Syrian-Armenian women, coming to Armenia, popularized the embroidery culture.
Unfortunately, having mastered almost all technical means, we have separate embroidery schools, which no longer exist today. We have masters who try to restore and make copies, but we don’t have the people to deal with it en masse. That was the problem that Aintap’s embroidery seemed to be left out. There must be a demand. Unfortunately, there is no Artsakh school. The masters also copy, but that is a completely different thing. The same applies to Vaspurakan, particularly the Van seam and the works made with it are also gone today. There are many masters working with Urfa, Marash needlework.
– How do you feel about modern approaches?
– Positive, because times, culture, people’s demands, life conditions are changing. Today there is a demand for other subjects. He went more into the field of market relations. They make souvenirs that are easy to buy. They also do things to order, and in this case, they do it as the client wanted, and there are some changes here. The important thing is that the masters try to stay in the national traditions, to continue.
– Are new ornaments being created?
– Yes, they are created, the only problem is that we have different masters. Masters who remain in the traditional, and we have masters who keep the technique, the national one, but create their own, and thus their works differ from others.
– What message did Armenian women convey to the generations through needlework?
– We transfer knowledge through needlework. We transmit our ancient beliefs, our essence: who are we, what are we like? The color, the pattern, the image, the object that we created are ours and by passing it on to the next generations, we try to preserve the Armenian identity. I think that is the main thing.
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Imagine if tomorrow Samvel Karapetyan goes to Hrazdan. Pashinyan knows, doesn’t he?
April 26, 2026
Nikol Pashinyan’s reputation remains at the threshold of an administrative resource, even decreasing, while Samvel Karapetyan’s reputation is rising rapidly. He is an exceptional person, a crisis manager. About this “Classes” said on the show Edgar Ghazaryan, member of the “Strong Armenia with Samvel Karapetyan” alliance, former ambassador of Armenia to Poland, former governor of Vayots Dzor region.
«On April 11, a rally was held, the main focus of which was Samvel Karapetyan’s speech during the rally. It was a huge turnout, there were a large number of young people and positive messages, a fantastic march took place after the rally, which caused an additional emotional state for Pashinyan. The pre-election campaign has not started yet, and already such a rally. This can’t help but worry him.
If you have noticed, Pashinyan no longer does live broadcasts when he goes to the marzes, every time he publishes 2 one-minute videos, he considers it enough. He doesn’t even hold hall meetings because he can’t fill them, he doesn’t hold rallies. And suddenly he sees that Samvel Karapetyan’s team is holding such a rally…
Let Samvel Karapetyan go to the marzes, have meetings with the voters of his political power, see what will happen… Imagine if Samvel Karapetyan goes to Hrazdan tomorrow… what will happen in the central square of Hrazdan,” Edgar Ghazaryan said.
Details in the video.
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168: The members of “Nemesis” did not kill innocent people, and Pashinyan is nothing new
April 26, 2026
“Classes” in the program Satik Seyranyan the guest is historian, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor of YSU “Armenian History” chair Hovik Grigoryan is։
In a conversation with the historian, we also touched on all the Turkish and Azerbaijani theses about the Armenian Genocide, the Great Turan, and pan-Turkism in general, which the current authorities of Armenia, led by Nikol Pashinyan, and the authoritarian circles, since 2018, have been spreading day and night, misleading the Armenian society.
The main theses of the interview are below.
- The Armenian Genocide was a comprehensive period, and the Great Genocide was a brutal but only one part of it. The Ottoman Empire, which was in its last period, had the task of maintaining the empire, and the method for this was the homogeneity of the state. The plan to exterminate Armenians was discussed for the first time in 1890. after the famous Gum-Gapu demonstration in the Gum Gapu district of Constantinople on July 15, when the issue of the elimination of Armenians was raised in the Sultan’s palace. After that, Sultan Hamid created his model of Abdulhamid pan-Islamism, which was based on the plan to destroy Christian Armenians: 300,000 victims, 100,000 assimilated Armenians, 300,000 exiles… This was the first stage. The next stage was the massacres of Cilicia, in which 30,000 Armenians became victims. Of course, there was the intervention of the Turkish state.
The Gum Gapu demonstration (July 15, 1890) was the first mass protest organized by the Social-Democratic Honchakyan Party in K. Pols. The goal was to draw the attention of the European powers to the Armenian issue and demand the implementation of Article 61 of the Berlin Treaty. The demonstration was brutally suppressed by the Turkish authorities. The Armenian Patriarchate was located in that district.
- Hakob Papikyan was an Armenian deputy of the Turkish Mejlis, an Ittihatian who was more pro-Turkish than the Turks themselves. After the massacres in Cilicia, when there was great discontent, a committee of the Turkish Mejlis was sent to Cilicia to investigate the events. There were 4 people. two Armenians, Hakob Papikyan and Hovhannes Mostishyan, and two Muslims. When they arrived in Cilicia, he was found honest and upon his return, he revealed the truth, saying that members of the Ittihat local organization had participated in those incidents, confirming the direct involvement of the Young Turks. On the eve of presenting the 1909 Adana pogrom bulletin in the Mejlis, Hakob Papikyan died under incomprehensible circumstances, but the bulletin is still there. This is the 2nd stage of the Armenian Genocide. The 3rd stage is the Great Genocide, the heaviest stage, in which 1.5 million Armenians died.
- The other day, on the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Erdogan made another manipulation, and the Patriarch of Constantinople presented it. The plan for the destruction of Armenians was clearly outlined already in 1910-12. At that time, Ittihat made a very quick transition to pan-Turkism, pan-Turkism. There are many testimonies that the problem of destroying the Armenian element was clearly discussed in the meetings of Thessaloniki. The first stage was the massacre of the Armenians of Western Armenia, the next would be Oghuzism, which includes the extermination of Eastern Armenians, and the last would be Pan-Turkism. Armenia is still an obstacle today, and various plans are being developed to eliminate this obstacle. Turkey nothing has changed in the programs.
(Pan-Turkism is the national, racial ideology of the Turkic-speaking peoples. The goal of that ideology was the unification of the Turkic-speaking peoples from the Adriatic Sea to China in one state unit.
Pantukism should be practiced in 3 stages.
1st stage. The ideology of pan-Turkism could only be realized through a strong Turkey, to achieve which it was necessary to Turkify or destroy the other non-Turkic peoples of the empire (later the state).
2nd stage. Utility. Turkey, Azerbaijan and the northern regions of Iran should be united in one state.
3rd stage. After successfully completing the above tasks, only Turkey should start the creation of Greater Turan (Panturanism). It should extend from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, from China to the North Caucasus.).
- Andranik Kocharyan can go and see the Turkish sources, in which the names of 3 million Armenian victims are counted. If the people in power did not receive systematic education at the time, at least let them read now, learn not to add water to the enemy’s plan…
- That’s not all. We have the 4th stage of the Armenian Genocide, which includes 1918-1920. the destruction of Eastern Armenians, when the Turkish army invaded Eastern Armenia, which killed hundreds and thousands of Armenians. This phase is related to the Kemalites, the founders of today’s Republican Turkey. The fathers of today’s Turkey continue the Armenian Genocide. Erdogan continues the line of Mustafa Kemal, and Mustafa Kemal, in addition to 1.5 million, eliminated another 200-300,000 Armenians. There is also the massacre of the Armenians of Smyrna, the destruction of the Poles Armenians and the Armenians of Cilicia by the hands of the same Kemalites. The Armenian Genocide was carried out in the Ottoman Empire for more than 30 years. We often discuss the 3rd phase of the Genocide, the pivotal Mets Ekhern period, when Armenians were dispossessed, but on Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, we remember the victims of all 4 phases.:
- It is sad, but the International Institute for the Prevention of Genocide named after Lemkin today is much more Armenian than many Armenians.
- Let’s also not forget the massacres of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, the genocidal events in Artsakh… It’s as if they forgot about them, but at one time it was remembered… Let’s remember, remind and demand… This was Aram I’s resolution yesterday, I think it is relevant today. This should become our main slogan related to this topic:
- To be honest, I haven’t listened to what he (Nikol Pashinyan, editor) said for a long time, but now that you are reading those parts of his address on the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I understand what he wants to say, at whose order, what problem he wants to solve… In the Ottoman Empire, there was a thesis that Armenians lived there safely and happily, but fell under the influence of the Russians and the British, and that’s what happened. This is a well-known Turkish official thesis, which Pashinyan repeats. This is a fairy tale. Armenians did not live in paradise in the Ottoman Empire. I would advise you to read Mkrtich Khrimyan’s two works, “Van Gyi” and “Argyi Gyi” about the burning of the market of Van and the massacre of Armenians by Bayazet. The latter became the foundation of “Khent” of Raffu Armenians. If this is heaven, what can I say… Armenians did not live in heaven, and it is natural that Armenians, like many European nations, sought to get out of such an environment and create their own national states. And putting the guilt of the massacre of Armenians on this is inadmissible. Pashinyan is not saying anything new. this is the official turkish thesis that i don’t want to discuss too much so as not to spread it:
To remind, Pashinyan said in his address.
“…The policy of us, the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the governing majority, is based on these thoughts and determination.
With the message of you, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, we have shown determination to understand more deeply the history of our people that has lived in the past and is regularly repeated in order to prevent the repetition of that history in the future, to make our present and the future better.
Today, we have achieved that goal, among other things, thanks to the fact that we have understood that the Great Genocide cannot be allowed to become a tool for international players to fight against each other.
…The forces that come out with the appeals and logic of “returning the lost homeland, restoration of historical borders and justice” put the Republic of Armenia on the rails of the San Stefano Conference of 1878, the inevitable last stop of which is the loss of statehood and homeland, because everyone in the world has their own history, everyone has their own justice, everyone has their own lost homeland. We finally got out of this trap, and the attempts to lead Armenia in that direction again are an invitation to our state and people to the quagmire…”.
- Today’s environment in Armenia is the most unfavorable environment in terms of Russia’s perception, including because of Russia’s unreasonable policy. Let’s remember the past period as well, when the Armenians of Mush and Sassoon in 1915 from spring to summer he resisted and was not saved, which is very unfortunate because the resister should have been saved. Of course, the retreat order of the Russian command played a role, and so did the lack of volunteers. This is one of the sad pages of our history, but it is not true to say that Russia organized the Armenian Genocide. Now, anti-Russian sentiment has intensified in Armenia because the Russian authorities did not behave so correctly in the matter of Artsakh, not realizing that they are creating serious problems for themselves in the region with the loss of Artsakh. When you give up, someone comes instead who has not forgotten that you are a wedge. Pan-Turkism is not forgotten, as ANM once claimed, for which it was severely criticized. When you turn from victim to accuser, you allow yourself to be retaliated against. We must not allow ourselves to be accused of what we are not guilty of. Otherwise, in the case of similar dissemination of Turkish theses by the current authorities of RA and continuing in this way, the Turks will turn from the guilty to the accuser.
- We have reached the recognition of our problem in the environment of more than three dozen countries, in some countries, the criminalization of the denial of the Genocide, today questioning the Genocide means that you stick a dagger in the back of those countries as well. Those states come out guilty, and others get a message not to deal with Armenians.
- 1988 when the Karabakh issue was being discussed in Moscow, YSU rector Sergey Hambardzumyan gave his famous speech, and I still hear a lot in Russia that your rector held the name of Armenians high. Such intellectuals should be in the foreground.
- Nemesis members did not kill innocent people. When the Young Turks still in 1918 had fled in December, the representatives of the new sultanate government admitted that a crime had been committed against Armenians. By the way, the last Sultan of Turkey, Vahideddin, was against the Armenian Genocide and sympathized with the Armenians. Military courts were opened, and the official Turkish court found the Young Turks guilty of the Armenian Genocide. It was the Turkish court that condemned Taleat, Enver, Cemal, others in absentia by suppressing the facts… That court was composed of Turks and Kurds, although it was formed at the instigation of the Entente states. According to the verdict of the Turkish court, minor characters were executed in Turkey, but the big ones escaped. The Turkish court could not do anything else. there were huge facts. By the way, the judges of that Turkish court were later convicted. One was the Kurdish Mustafa Pasha, who informed the Armenians about Enver’s movements. One of those judges is one of the maternal great-grandfathers of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Boris Johnson is Turkish on his mother’s side. That Johnson’s grandfather was executed in Turkey, and the family was taken to England.
The relation of “Nemesis” to Azerbaijan and why Azerbaijanis declare that the statues of “Nemesis” and Garegin Nzhdeh should be dismantled in Yerevan. “Nemesis” was set in motion because there was a punishment that had been meted out, but there were no enforcers of that punishment. By the way, one of the first operations of “Nemesis” was against Musavatka Azerbaijan, one of the first victims was Behbut Khan Jevanshir, one of the organizers of the massacre of Armenians in 1918. In September, 30,000 Armenians died in Baku. Misak Torlakyan destroyed Behbut Khan Jevanshir, Minister of Internal Affairs of Musavatka Azerbaijan, in Istanbul, and he, like Soghomon Tehleryan, was released as a result of the trial. Later, other bosses were also destroyed. Armenian traitors were also destroyed, such as Harutyun Mkrtchyan, who compiled lists of Armenian intellectuals. Other traitors were also destroyed. It was difficult to find the major players in the organization of the Armenian Genocide, those who were hiding, fleeing from place to place, acting under someone else’s name. People have been watching for months, discovered the routes, and just carried out the punishments. And that was the final stage of the Nemesis operation, the neutralization of Talaat, Enver, Cemal. It was a long process, many remain in the shadows, only the names of the shooters are known, but many devotees are not known. If the Armenian people didn’t do that, they wouldn’t deserve to live on earth:
In 1918 in December S. Tehleryan arrives in K. Polis to find traitor Harutyun Mkrtchyan, according to whose “black list” Talaat ordered in 1915. on April 24 to exile K. The Armenian political and cultural elite of Istanbul. 1919 in February, he shoots the Armenian betrayer K. In Istanbul. Soghomon Tehleryan himself, referring to the murder of the Armenian betrayer Harutyun Mkrtchyan, writes that his execution was his own initiative. “On the long road, my only thought was that new monster, the treacherous Yarut. Wasn’t it necessary to start my mission of revenge, which had become the purpose of my existence a long time ago…”?
- Hrach Papazyan, a detective and hero, remained in the shadows, for example. who had entered the circle of the Turks, became close to them and made the greatest contribution to the success of the cause, “Nemesis”. For the sake of solving the problems of his people, he lived in the Turkish environment for a long time, heard threats and insults against his people, but he acted as the son of a Turkish landowner, he even got circumcised for the sake of the job in order to gain confidence, and he got to the point where he became friends with one of the biggest criminals, Jemal Azmi’s son. He was a true humble hero, and what he did for the Armenian people became known only in the last decade of his life:
- We don’t seem to learn from our history. We don’t think about our next step… No nation is infallible, but we need the ability to analyze and understand our own mistakes.
- There is not even 1% confidence that Azerbaijan will not do the same, the threat from Turkey has not disappeared either, the plans have not changed. But I am sure that any crime will be punished sooner or later.
- Russia and any other country is not our liberator, every nation is the main guarantor of its freedom and salvation. But it is absolutely impossible for us to worsen our relations with Russia. In the end, there are two states that are an obstacle to pan-Turkism, and it is in their interests to be a state of Armenia. They are Iran and Russia. Our interests in this matter coincide, and this cannot be ignored:
- As I said, the second stage of pan-Turkishness is Oghuzism, which solves the problem of uniting all Turks, including Caucasian Turks. Armenia is the wedge that hinders the implementation of Oghuzism. I have also said that if Nakhichevan had remained in Armenia, Zangezur might not have been given to us. But since Nakhichevan was given to Azerbaijan, Soviet Russia could not hand over Zangezur and unite the Turks.
- The program of Great Turan, nothing has changed, the name has changed. TRIPP will be called “Zangezuri Corridor”, it’s the same thing and it’s unacceptable for us. I have no faith that it will be opened, because it is written on paper, and there are many papers in history that have not come to life.
The peace agreement is also a myth, it will not happen either. We have heard many such tales. Even now they are scaring the people with war. And who told him, Nikol Pashinyan, that there will be a war? Is he making any hints, did they say something… It’s not that easy to start a war, it’s just clear that he has a problem of keeping power, because they know where they will end up after they don’t have power… The words are also a pity.:
- God forbid, if the “Zangezur Corridor” or TRIPP becomes a reality, it means the implementation of Oguzism.
- In the 19th and 20th centuries, no nation fighting for its freedom fought so much, used so many methods of struggle, as we see in the history and environment of Armenia. In that sense, our struggle was a real Calvary, which had various reasons… The liberation struggle of our people was difficult, but our people were not toothless. We have many heroic episodes in our history.
- After several months of blockade in Artsakh, did the government representing Armenia do anything to change the situation? Was it that difficult to open that Lachine Corridor, especially since the document of November 9 was written about it? And now the fake Azerbaijani “ecologists” who closed that Corridor are being brought to Armenia for conferences today… Russia also has a share of the blame here. But when Armenia does nothing and blames the people of Artsakh, it is not moral.
- When a soldier does not feel the breath of his people behind him, he does not fight well. In Sardarapat, in Bash-Aparan, the soldier felt that breath, he also felt it in 1991-94. In Artsakh… there was no such thing in the war of 2020…
- It is a great evil when you oppose the parts of the nation to each other, divide each other. 1918-1920 we had already encountered that phenomenon in the speech of Western Armenians and Eastern Armenians. In the future, this was not the case, now the nation has been artificially divided again, pitted against each other. This is the biggest problem and it is not done by accident. The people of 1988 were an exceptional people, with a united spirit…
- On April 24, when I was climbing Tsitsernakaberd with my grandson, I saw that the number of young people and children was very large. It was the same situation very late. This means that there has been a change in people. When a young man goes to Tsitsernakaberd, he doesn’t go for appearance, it means that his values have changed. The situation forces, they understand what is really happening. This is not the young man of 10 years ago, I can see the qualitative change… I feel it also from the quality of the questions asked by young people. This inspires hope. We will have a different generation in the coming years:
- This government does not like the attitude of the Armenian Church and His Holiness. Unlike the authorities of the day, which everywhere push national interests to the background, His Holiness’s statements, especially in the outside world, related to Artsakh, the destruction of our cultural monuments, and other national issues, are a blow to Azerbaijan. His Holiness is a consistent national figure, he does not forget anything, I have great respect for him. The firm position he has adopted is the reason for the attacks against him. The Armenian Church, with the majority of its members, showed that it remains a nationwide structure dedicated to national and nationwide values. Even Ottoman the authorities did not treat influential and authoritative Armenian clergy in this way. When I heard that they wanted to tax the Church, I involuntarily remembered the Middle Ages, when the Persian Denshapuh first taxed the Armenian Church, then the Arabs did it. It is absurd to put the church under the roof in the Armenian environment. I just don’t understand in whose mind this came up. Today’s situation is reminiscent of the Bolshevik political line of the 1920s. Now nobody remembers Benik Vardapet. At that time, the state gave money for propaganda, and it created the so-called Free Church and did counter-propaganda against the Armenian Church. But even the Bolsheviks did not tax to the church. Smells like an order from outside.
- I have witnessed several times in the church that people who came to the church for the purpose of baptism or marriage were interested in who will perform their ceremony: a religious leader or a priest faithful to the Armenian Church. This is a very important thing.
- The constitutional rights of our church must be preserved. If they do what they expect and change the Constitution, it will be the grave of the Armenian state.
- I think we will have a different situation in June. Perhaps it would be more reasonable if the political blocs were united in 3-4 blocs. The RPA made a wise decision not to participate in the elections, because the people who should vote for the Republicans will vote for any of the opposition forces. But I was surprised by the excessive, unwarranted self-confidence of some forces. Today, there is nothing more important than standing at the head of the national power, the state.
- There is no people older than us. Perhaps we have a mission, and it is no coincidence that we were formed in this geographical area. The homogeneity of our population has helped us a lot over the centuries. Armenians made up the vast majority of the population. Even today, our national homogeneity is our advantage. Importing another element from outside is a special application.
Details in the video.
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Pashinyan Defends Tax Policy, Targets Shadow Economy
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan rejected claims that Armenia imposes excessive tax burdens on businesses, arguing that criticism reflects the end of widespread tax evasion practices.
Speaking at a press briefing, he accused some opposition figures of having benefited from past corruption. “They were used to not paying taxes… now that they are forced to operate within the tax system, it feels heavy for them,” he said, adding that such practices had allowed businesses to “push competitors out of the market.”
At the same time, Pashinyan signaled potential reforms to support small businesses, including raising the turnover threshold for the microenterprise tax regime, currently set at 24 million drams. He said the limit has become outdated due to inflation. “We are considering raising the threshold so that truly small businesses can operate under special conditions, while others cannot use small-business status to avoid taxes,” he said.
He framed taxation as essential to state development, linking it directly to public spending. “Where there are taxes, there is prosperity; where there are no taxes, there is no prosperity,” he said, urging citizens to request receipts and warning against efforts to “demonize” taxes.
Pashinyan also pointed to rising corporate tax revenues, which reached 265.8 billion drams as of April 2026. Despite a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 20% to 18%, revenues have increased 5.4 times since 2017.
He attributed this growth to both economic expansion and the shrinking shadow economy, with more business activity now formally recorded.
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Drifting Apart or Redefining Ties? Armenia and Russia in 2026
Armenian-Russian relations, once defined by deep historical ties and shared strategic interests, are currently undergoing a period of significant transformation. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s public acknowledgment that these ties “will no longer be what they were before” signals a redefinition of the bilateral relationship rather than a complete rupture. Moscow, despite recognizing this shift, continues to view Armenia as an ally, with Russia’s ambassador affirming ongoing political dialogue. Yet the reality of diminished Russian influence in the South Caucasus is undeniable. Russia, long the region’s dominant power, is grappling with an overextended military presence in Ukraine and the shifting geopolitical priorities of the post-Soviet space. This, coupled with Armenia’s evolving foreign policy, is testing the foundations of their once-unbreakable alliance.
As Armenia approaches its 2026 elections, domestic political dynamics will play a crucial role in shaping the country’s foreign policy. Pro-Russian factions within Armenia’s political spectrum continue to resist the growing pro-Western sentiment, fueling a vibrant national debate on sovereignty, identity, and strategic alignment. These internal discussions will be pivotal in determining whether Armenia’s shift towards the West is a temporary move or the start of a permanent realignment of its foreign policy.
In this period of transformation, Armenia faces a complex geopolitical balancing act. The erosion of Russia’s traditional influence in the South Caucasus is part of a broader tectonic shift in Eurasian geopolitics. As Armenia reevaluates its security, economic, and political partnerships, its ability to navigate this evolving landscape will shape its future role in the region. The 2026 elections will serve as a critical juncture, determining the course of Armenia’s international alliances and its place within the broader contest for influence in the Caucasus.
What position will Armenia adopt toward its external partners—particularly Russia—given the recent years of frozen cooperation within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the withdrawal of Russian border guards from Armenian territory, and other developments? Caucasus Watch sought to explore the forecasts emerging from Armenian expert circles.
Railway Disputes and Geopolitics Loom Over Armenia’s Pre-Election Moves
In a conversation with us, Samvel Meliksetyan, an expert at the “Armenian Council” Analytical Center, said these processes hinge on several factors, including domestic pre-election dynamics and external developments such as the Russia–Ukraine war and ongoing regional conflicts.
“In this regard, if we assume—albeit a rather unlikely scenario—that Russia achieves significant success on the Ukrainian battlefield before the elections, I believe Armenia’s position will remain adaptive, meaning it will depend on the opportunities provided by the external environment. The authorities’ tactics are flexible; however, anti-Russian sentiment is also among the factors they are likely to leverage during the pre-election period, for several objective reasons.
One reason is that after the 2020 war, despite a largely adaptive policy toward Russia, the authorities faced a serious security crisis. Since December 2022, they have gradually shifted approach, diversified foreign relations, and reduced Russian presence—especially after 2024, when Russian peacekeepers withdrew from Nagorno-Karabakh, border areas, Zvartnots Airport, and checkpoints. If this trend continues, it will persist before and after the elections, with Armenia leveraging opportunities from the Ukraine war to deepen ties with partners like the EU and the US,” the expert notes.
Discussing the elections, Meliksetyan says “anti-Russian sentiment”—a term he finds problematic—will likely shape the campaign, with Russia cast as a troublesome partner and figures like Samvel Karapetyan and former President Robert Kocharyan portrayed as pro-Russian or Russia-backed.
Responding to our question on whether Russian interference in Armenia’s upcoming elections is possible—and how credible the government’s warnings about hybrid threats are—expert Samvel Meliksetyan noted that such threats are often politicized, leading to two competing interpretations: either they are dismissed as exaggerated, or any political pressure is automatically framed as a hybrid attack.
He argued that hybrid threats are real and have been evident in past cases, including Ukraine and more recently Moldova and Georgia, where Russia employed political, informational, and strategic tools to influence outcomes. According to Meliksetyan, similar patterns are emerging in Armenia, particularly through Russian media narratives and messaging aimed at shaping public opinion, including among the Armenian diaspora in Russia.
He also pointed to indirect channels of influence, such as religious and informational campaigns, as well as discussions about the potential mobilization of Armenia-based voters from Russia. While the effectiveness of such methods may be limited, he stressed that Moscow increasingly views Armenia within the same strategic framework as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.
At the same time, Meliksetyan warned that Armenia remains vulnerable to such influence, as state institutions and analytical capacities are not yet fully equipped to counter complex hybrid threats. As a result, responses are largely confined to the information sphere, while more advanced countermeasures remain underdeveloped.
Recent reports suggest Armenia is considering replacing Russia with a third-country company to manage its railways. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously urged Russia to urgently restore key sections, including Yeraskh–Nakhichevan and the route to the Turkish border, raising the issue with President Vladimir Putin. He later said that if Russia cannot complete the work, Armenia could take control or allow a third country with good ties to both sides to assume the concession. Moscow reacted sharply: Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu called the plan “ill-conceived” and warned it could collapse the system overnight, while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova labeled it “bizarre and unacceptable.”
Could a third-country company replace Russia in managing Armenia’s railways, and what would it mean for the country? Samvel Meliksetyan said the outcome depends on external developments: “If Russia’s position strengthens, Armenia is unlikely to push its demands. I believe Russia initially tried to be constructive, agreeing that some restoration work on the railways should proceed. However, its response has been sharp, both on the railways and the nuclear power plant, reflecting Moscow’s concern about losing influence in Armenia. Such a loss could eventually threaten Russia’s military base, leverage in energy and other sectors, where Armenia remains heavily dependent. At the same time, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine limits Russia’s ability to exert direct pressure, which has so far weakened its position in Armenia rather than strengthened it. Regarding a third-country operator, Armenia’s railways are only profitable if borders remain open, as their value lies in transit. Historically, Russia gained the railway concession in 2008 for political reasons, part of a broader strategy dating back to the post-2004 Georgian revolution to secure strategic transport links. The railways have never been profitable, and corruption within the Russian operator has triggered repeated disputes, audits, and legal challenges since 2010. Armenia could seek to reclaim the concession, but legal and political hurdles remain. Russian efforts to resolve the issue have faced strong pushback, and no immediate solution appears likely. In the long term, this challenge could weaken Armenia’s role as a transit country, especially if borders fully reopen,” Meliksetyan concludes.
Russia Seeks Opposition Influence
In an interview with us, Arnold Bleyan, political commentator, Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the Rally for the Republic Party, and Executive Director of the Armenian Center for Democracy and Security Issues, predicts that Armenia is likely to gradually reduce its dependence on Russia as relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey normalize—especially once a final peace agreement with Azerbaijan is signed and borders, including Turkey’s, are reopened. On Armenia’s future with the CSTO, Bleyan suggested that the country may either formally withdraw or, alternatively, it would not be surprising if the CSTO itself decides to terminate its membership.
Regarding the risk and reality of hybrid warfare during Armenia’s elections, Arnold Bleyan confirmed that Russian influence has already been evident multiple times, including on broadcasts from Russia’s Channel One. He emphasized that Russia sees it as crucial to maintain a presence in Armenia—if not through the government, then at least via the opposition.
“Russia may attempt to shape a new government—or strengthen a broader opposition to pressure the authorities—and if this occurs, one parliamentary faction openly aims to integrate Armenia into the Union State,” Bleyan warns. He also cautions that disinformation campaigns, fake accounts, hybrid attacks, and potential cyberattack on state infrastructure remain risks.
In this context, Bleyan emphasized that Armenia has officially requested the European Union to send a rapid response team, noting that the EU already has experience in several countries, with its most recent successful mission being in Moldova. “Armenian officials are also in contact with their Moldovan counterparts, working on a knowledge-sharing basis. I believe this is very important, as it allows us to draw on Moldova’s experience to better defend ourselves against such attacks. We see that the closer the elections get, the more intense these attacks become. Recently, in central Yerevan, citizens were handed copies of Komsomolskaya Pravda, which illogically claimed that Armenia is collapsing,” Bleyan said.
On the authorities’ proposal to replace Russian-operated railways with a third-country operator, Bleyan said the plan has both political and economic motives. “Potential partners, like Kazakhstan or Qatar, would need to be acceptable to both Armenia and Russia. The main benefit is enabling the Peace Crossroads project, as Western and regional investors avoid infrastructure under Russian control. Armenia also has legal grounds: after the 2018 revolution, a criminal case was opened over abuses in the South Caucasus Railway. When Russia assumed management in 2008, it promised around $100 million in investments that were never delivered. Repeated requests to restore key routes also went unheeded.”
Bleyan warned that Russia has already rejected such a replacement. He dismissed claims that removing Russia would collapse the railway as empty threats. “The system is already in poor condition. Only a few routes operate—Yerevan–Tbilisi, Yerevan–Gyumri, Yerevan–Sevan—mostly on long-degraded tracks. He added that Russian railways themselves face severe financial problems, with billions in debt and asset sales to avoid bankruptcy. “Under these conditions, Armenia cannot rely on them to fully reopen transit or achieve the Peace Crossroads goals, including the TRIPP project, which envisions a railway independent of Russia”.
On this issue, Bleyan noted that some political forces in Armenia advocate involving Russia and China in the TRIPP project, which he considers entirely illogical. “The project was designed precisely to reduce Russian and Chinese influence over these logistics’ infrastructures. This isn’t just about Armenia and Azerbaijan—it concerns Central Asia, Europe, and broader geopolitical engagement. It’s not even about Donald Trump, as the initiative predates his administration and aims to operationalize the Middle Corridor.” Bleyan summed up his analysis with sarcasm: “If we want TRIPP to fail, then we can loudly call for Russian and Chinese involvement.”
Armenia Gradually Reduces Russian Presence
In an interview with Caucasus Watch, Grigor Balasanyan, Associate Professor of International Relations and Diplomacy at Yerevan State University, said he does not expect Armenia’s authorities to take any major new steps against Russia. However, he noted that some symbolic gestures will likely be directed at Moscow to buy time and prevent the opposition from claiming during the elections that the government is pursuing a fully anti-Russian policy.
“In reality, Armenia’s ties with Russia are largely situational. The government acts to ease tensions when Moscow reacts abruptly, but overall, authorities are pursuing a policy that gradually pushes Russia out across education, politics, the economy, and defense. Since 2018, substantive progress in Armenian-Russian relations have been minimal. While Armenia profited economically as a transit hub for Russian capital in 2023–2024, political decisions consistently favor the EU over Russia, a reality evident on the ground,” the analyst said.
Unlike our speakers above, who identified risks of hybrid warfare ahead of the elections, Grigor Balasanyan considers this false agenda introduced into Armenia’s political landscape.
“There is no hybrid warfare for a simple reason—Russia is not conducting hybrid wars anywhere. Hybrid warfare is being carried out by the European Union. The EU provides $15 million and deploys a rapid response team to monitor elections in Armenia, as it has done in Moldova—so isn’t this interference in elections?” Balasanyan counters.
Balasanyan also ruled out the possibility of transferring railway management to a third country at the state level, arguing that Russia would not relinquish its concession rights to any external actor and that such discussions are not serious.
“Negotiations were already underway between the relevant Armenian and Russian bodies on restoring certain railway sections. However, I believe this comes at a price—namely, that Russia would need to be involved in the TRIPP project and, in some form, participate in the process of reopening regional transport routes.”
Balasanyan also drew attention to the fact that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk was recently in Baku, where he met with Ilham Aliyev, with the reopening of regional communications topping the agenda. He argued that if routes through Azerbaijan are expected to link to Russia, Russian—rather than Armenian—railways would be involved, making it unlikely that Moscow would build the lines, hand them over to Armenia, and then step out of the process.
“Either Russia will take part in the TRIPP project, and the railway will be restored, or it will simply refrain from reconstruction and wait until 2036, observing attempts to transfer its concession to another country. This would have serious legal consequences, amounting to a contract breach. Unlike cases involving private companies, this is a state-level concession, making the process far more complex—if not unrealistic—and likely to produce negative outcomes. Can anyone guarantee that Moscow would not resort to pressure or sanctions, such as imposing tariffs on Armenian goods? If access to the Russian market is restricted before alternatives in the EU are secured, where will Armenian exports go, and what will consumers do? This is the key question. One can theorize, but realpolitik is far harsher and demands greater caution and responsibility,” Balasanyan warns.
“Hybrid Attacks” or Foreign Interference?
Our next interlocutor, political scientist Benyamin Matevosyan, believes that Armenia’s position in its foreign relations will largely depend on the results of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, 2026.
“If the current authorities are re-elected, they will, in fundamental terms, return to their original positions. Prior to 2008, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly expressed clear views in both his public speeches and writings on Russia, Turkey, Nagorno-Karabakh, and the so-called Meghri corridor. I would suggest revisiting his early-2000s article ‘We and Our Interests,’ in which he argued that the main beneficiaries of transport corridors through Armenia would be Turkey and the United States, while Russia and China opposed them. He also raised the question of why Armenians should be ‘more Russian than the Russians’ or ‘more Chinese than the Chinese,’” Matevosyan noted.
Benyamin Matevosyan is confident that if Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is re-elected, the Russian factor in the South Caucasus will be reduced to zero, while no geopolitical vacuum will emerge. “In that case, Turkey will further strengthen its position in the region, with all the resulting consequences for Armenia. Why not the European Union? Because Pashinyan himself has said that Armenia’s European future depends on Georgia’s. And even Armenia’s authorities acknowledge that our Georgian partners currently face difficulties in their relations with European counterparts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Matevosyan argues that if alternative opposition forces come to power, Armenia would pursue a more balanced foreign policy, avoiding involvement in the clash of external interests and the pursuit of short-term geopolitical gains.
Regarding the risk of hybrid warfare, Benyamin Matevosyan shares the view that, so far, European involvement is more visible in the context of Armenia’s upcoming elections. He referenced Kaja Kallas’s announcement about sending a rapid response team to Armenia to counter hybrid attacks. According to Matevosyan, Europe does not even hide that these “hybrid attacks” primarily refer to Russia’s information operations and influence in Armenia.
“We have effectively made a foreign actor part of Armenia’s domestic politics—but it is not Russia, it is the European Union” the analyst alludes.
Regarding the revision of railway management, Benjamin Matevosyan also criticizes the actions of the current authorities. In his view, developments in recent years demonstrate that their decisions are driven not by economic or security considerations, but by political priorities—specifically, an apparent intention to eliminate both Russian state capital and state presence in Armenia.
To justify this course of action, the authorities claim that external partners have indicated Armenia is not an attractive prospect if its railways remain under Russian control. However, according to the political analyst, this argument represents a case of political déjà vu.
“Recall Nikol Pashinyan’s remarks in March–April 2022 at the National Assembly, where he said international partners were urging Armenia to lower expectations on Artsakh’s status in exchange for broader support. He did not name those partners or explain their motives, but subsequent developments suggest the main beneficiaries were Turkey and Azerbaijan. Can we now conclude that a similar pattern is unfolding regarding the railways—that Turkey and Azerbaijan expect the removal of Russian state capital from Armenia, and that the authorities have devised a political alibi to carry this out?”, Matevosyan wraps up his analysis with a rhetorical question.
Contributed by Anna Vardanyan, an Armenian political journalist and researcher with over 18 years’ experience in defence policy, international relations, and security in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, has worked for Armenian media and held advisory roles in the National Assembly of Armenia.
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