Armenia’s Information Battlefield

Chatinian Lara
UK – May 29 2026

Read about the Kremlin-led campaigns aimed at undermining trust in democracy ahead of pivotal Armenian elections.

elcome to IWPR’s Frontline Update, your go-to source to hear from journalists and local voices at the front lines of conflict.

 THE BIG PICTURE  

As Armenia prepares for crucial parliamentary elections next month, it is confronting a sharp escalation in foreign information manipulation and interference.

The country’s strategic pivot toward Europe, combined with the fragile normalisation process with Azerbaijan, has created fertile ground for Kremlin-led campaigns aimed at polarising society and undermining trust in democracy.

 VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINE 

“The dominant narrative threats systematically weaponise existential anxiety and historical traumas, falsely portraying European integration as a threat to local identity while fabricating stories about territorial concessions or foreign military footprints,” digital security consultant Artur Papayan told IWPR Caucasus Director Beka Bajelidze.

A dominant narrative frames the peace process with Azerbaijan not as a strategic necessity, but as surrender, while Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is portrayed as weak, traitorous, or acting on behalf of Western powers rather than Armenian national interests.

Papayan warned that Armenia was experiencing “an unprecedented, highly coordinated surge in hybrid operations” from sophisticated generative AI deepfakes – including entirely fabricated organisations such as a supposed Armenian Queer Union – to cyberattacks targeting critical state infrastructure.

Anthropologist Hranush Kharatyan explained that Armenia’s vulnerability was also shaped by historical and identity-based dynamics.

“Foreign policy debates are often reduced to binary identity labels, such as Russophile, Turkophile or Europhile rather than programmatic political discussion,” she said, noting that this dynamic contributed to “persistent polarisation”.

 WHY IT MATTERS 

Armenia’s pursuit of new strategic, diplomatic and economic partnerships is highly significant, representing a move away from a Russia-dominated and constrained geopolitical environment.

The Russian election interference response is clear; to erode trust in democratic institutions, fragment the information space and reduce confidence in the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.

The goal is to create paralysis, cynicism and distrust, a particularly dangerous dynamic in post-conflict societies such as Armenia where unresolved trauma remains acute.

 THE BOTTOM LINE 

As Armenia approaches future elections, the country may face a defining challenge: whether voters can debate the future of peace and European integration on the basis of informed choice rather than manipulated fear.

In Armenia as elsewhere, civil society organisations and independent media are increasingly central actors in documenting and countering these campaigns through investigations, media literacy efforts and research.

IWPR continues to support local voices in their efforts to ensure they are free to determine their own democratic future.

https://iwpr.net/global-voices/armenias-information-battlefield

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EAEU Weighs Suspension of Armenia Over EU Membership Aspirations

Jane Topchian
DevDiscourse
May 29 2026

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is contemplating suspending Armenia due to its potential European Union membership ambitions. EAEU leaders have urged Armenia to conduct a referendum on EU membership, which could be perceived as a threat to the union’s economic security.

Key Takeaways

AI Summary

  • The EAEU is considering suspending Armenia due to its aspirations for EU membership, which raises concerns about the union’s economic security.
  • EAEU leaders have suggested that Armenia hold a referendum on EU membership, allowing the option to remain in the union.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin and other EAEU leaders met in Astana to discuss Armenia’s status within the organization.
  • The potential suspension highlights the tensions in the EAEU as Armenia balances regional alliances with its desire for EU integration.

The Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) may suspend Armenia later this year due to concerns over its pursuit of European Union membership threatening the union’s economic security. A joint statement released on Friday revealed these developments. Country leaders of the EAEU have encouraged Armenia to hold a referendum on its EU membership, providing the option to remain within the Moscow-led group.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with other EAEU leaders, gathered in Astana earlier on Friday to deliberate Armenia’s ongoing status in the union. This meeting reflects the growing tensions within the EAEU as Armenia navigates its foreign relationships.

The potential suspension underscores the delicate balance between maintaining regional alliances and pursuing broader economic integration with the EU. The outcome of Armenia’s potential referendum could significantly impact the country’s economic and political trajectory.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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Russia threatens Armenia with sanctions over rapprochement with the EU; the is

Maral Takmazian
UNN, Ukraine
May 29 2026

Kyiv • UNN

May 29 2026, 08:00 AM • 3452 views

At the EAEU summit, Putin will discuss sanctions against Armenia due to its course toward the EU. Moscow is already restricting the import of goods and threatening to revise gas prices.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will participate in the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Astana on May 29, where one of the main topics will be the escalation of relations with Armenia due to its intention to move closer to the European Union. This is reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.

Details

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on the eve of the meeting that the situation surrounding Armenia is complex and will certainly be discussed during the negotiations. Moscow is dissatisfied with Yerevan’s intentions to move toward EU membership, although the process itself could take years. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not participate in the summit, explaining this by preparations for the parliamentary elections on June 7.

Pashinyan announced the end of Armenia’s dependence on a “single ally”28.05.26, 06:15 • 5896 views

Against the backdrop of political disagreements, Russia has increased pressure on Armenia. Moscow warned that if the course toward EU accession continues, agreements regarding the supply of gas, fuel, and other strategic goods could be revised. Furthermore, in recent weeks, Russia has already restricted the import of several Armenian goods, including flowers, wine, brandy, mineral water, and vegetables.

Analysts believe that the Kremlin’s economic pressure is linked not only to geopolitics but also to the internal political situation in Armenia ahead of the elections. At the same time, the country remains an important part of the so-called Middle Corridor between Europe and China, which is seen as an alternative to routes through Russian territory.

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Russia wants to send 100,000 Armenians to Armenia to vote against Pashinyan in

Nahapetian Samvel
May 29 2029

Armenians are not allowed to vote in elections from abroad.

Russian officials have in recent months discussed sending Armenians living in Russia to vote for Pashinyan’s opponents in parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, five sources told Reuters.com.

Armenians make up a large global diaspora, including a population in Russia estimated to exceed 2 million people. However, Armenians are not allowed to vote in elections from abroad.

One source — a senior American official — stated that there is debate within the intelligence community regarding how many people Moscow could realistically transport. However, according to him, intelligence services are taking this idea seriously. Armenians regularly travel between the two countries, with dozens of flights operating daily.

According to three sources, Russian authorities estimated the cost of transporting 100,000 voters at approximately $50 million. By mid-May, the Kremlin allegedly set quotas for each region on the number of Armenians to be sent and demanded reports from local administrators on preparations.

Reuters could not determine whether such a plan is being implemented in practice and whether it could narrow the large gap between the leaders of the electoral race.

According to a poll conducted earlier this month, Nikol Pashinyan’s “Civil Contract” party is expected to take first place with approximately 30% of the votes.

Samvel Karapetyan’s “Strong Armenia” party, according to the same poll, garners about 6% and significantly lags behind amid high competition.

Pashinyan came to power in 2018 after protests that overthrew his pro-Russian predecessor.

In August 2025, Pashinyan concluded a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending years of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over a disputed region. The deal involves opening a transport route through southern Armenia, allowing goods to move eastward towards Central Asia, and granting Azerbaijan direct access to its exclave of Nakhchivan and to Turkey.

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Russia reasserts iron grip over Armenia after Rubio’s high-profile visit?

Christine Harutyunian
Hindustan Times
May 29 2026

Russia has declared that its military presence in Armenia remains secure despite growing U.S. and European influence in the South Caucasus. Sergei Shoigu said Moscow sees “no reasons” to withdraw its 102nd Military Base from Gyumri, dismissing concerns over Armenia’s expanding ties with the West. The remarks came shortly after renewed U.S.-Armenia engagement linked to Marco Rubio and amid rising geopolitical tensions surrounding Armenia’s pivot toward Europe. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has frozen participation in several Russia-led security structures while pushing deeper cooperation with the European Union and Washington. Despite tensions, Russia continues to maintain thousands of troops, MiG-29 fighter jets, and S-300 air defence systems at its strategic Gyumri base, reinforcing Moscow’s determination to preserve influence across the South Caucasus.

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Fake news in Armenia claims ‘Curtain’ programme can manipulate election resul

Vanyan Gary
JAM News
May 29 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

A fake story circulating on social media claims that a secret programme called “Curtain” will operate during Armenia’s parliamentary elections on 7 June. The platform Haymitq.am published the claim first.

The article alleges that Armenia’s National Security Service of Armenia and the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia created the software on the orders of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. It further claims that the programme can monitor voters inside polling booths and alter election results in real time.

“The material in question is complete nonsense. Commenting on it would be even more absurd. The people spreading this disinformation want to create panic among the public,” Vahagn Hovakimyan told Factor TV.

The outlet also examined the claims about the alleged “secret programme” and found no evidence to support them. Investigative journalists additionally identified a number of factual errors in the story.

  • ‘Sensational but false’: scrutiny of election promises made by some political forces in Armenia
  • Russian intelligence operatives sent to ‘target Pashinyan’: The Insider investigation
  • Leak reveals secret documents on Russia’s hybrid attacks against Armenia

What the fake article claims

The article carries the headline “Prime Minister Pashinyan’s Secret Software Threatens Armenia’s Democracy”. Haymitq.am published it on 21 May.

A few days later, on 25 May, users began widely sharing the article on Facebook. The platform’s advertising tools have helped keep the story circulating in both posts and Stories.

“Next Sunday, we will see whether they [Nikol Pashinyan and his team] have succeeded in altering the results through software,” the article states.

The authors claim that six months before the election, officials allegedly created a programme codenamed “Curtain”. According to the article, the software allows the ruling party to:

  • monitor how voters cast their ballots inside polling booths in real time;
  • calculate the percentage of votes received by each party;
  • alter the data when necessary.

The Haymitq.am website does not provide any information about its editorial team. The articles list Hamo Mnatsakanyan as their author, but the site offers no details about him. According to Who.is, the website was created on 17 December 2025.

How the false claim spread

A Facebook page called Armenia Aktual shared the article. Although the page presents itself as a clothing store for pregnant and nursing mothers, its feed includes content from Haymitq.am and other websites that publish questionable material. The page appeared in April 2025 and has changed its name three times since then.

According to Meta’s Ad Library, the page spent $95 on advertisements classified under “Social issues, elections or politics” between 23 February and 23 May 2026. During that period, it ran only one ad in that category. The advertisement appeared on 15 May and generated 60,000 views.

The page promoted an article from Yerevantimes.am. The article claimed that “during an event in Gyumri on 5 May, Pashinyan touched the French president’s groin”. Meta removed the post because the advertiser failed to disclose who paid for it.

Later, on 25 May, users began promoting the story about the alleged “secret computer programme”. This time, the advertiser placed it in a different category in order to avoid disclosing the source of funding.

The false claims about the “Curtain” programme did not spread only through Facebook advertising. Users also circulated them widely on X. Fact-checkers at Factor TV reported that numerous X accounts shared an AI-generated video based on the Haymitq.am article.

The video expanded on the original allegations. It falsely claimed that the head of the Central Electoral Commission’s Department of Information Technology and Electronic Management Systems had provided information about the alleged programme.

Videos shared on X

To make the video appear more credible, its creators used photographs and the logo of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights election observation mission.

A user named Ethan Levins also shared a video containing similar claims. Levins describes himself as an American journalist and has more than 148,000 followers. Armenian fact-checkers say he regularly spreads false information about Armenia.

Voters’ choices are not recorded inside polling booths: fact-checkers identify manipulation

Journalists at Factor TV reviewed the claims and reached several conclusions:

  • the allegation spread through a non-transparent advertising mechanism;
  • the original source lacks editorial transparency;
  • the sensational claims contradict the technical procedures used in Armenia’s electoral process.

The fact-checkers argue that the method used to distribute both the article and the video based on it closely resembles “hybrid mechanisms for spreading disinformation”.

“Even the same users appear repeatedly in these campaigns. This suggests that the false claims are being spread deliberately and are intended to promote conspiracy theories about the 7 June elections.”

Armenian journalists also identified methodological flaws in the allegations. Under Armenia’s voting procedures, no system records a voter’s choice after they enter the polling booth and until election officials count the ballots at the end of the day. As a result, the kind of interference described in the article would not be possible.

“A voter’s choice is not recorded inside the polling booth and is not stored in any electronic system that software could access or alter,” the fact-checkers said.

They also note that election rules prohibit cameras or any other technical devices from monitoring activity inside polling booths.

According to the journalists, election officials use technical equipment only before voters enter the booth and solely for voter identification purposes.

As for the vote count, officials carry it out after polling stations close. Election commission members, authorised representatives, observers, journalists and other accredited participants can all witness the process directly at the polling station. Under current legislation, officials record the results in paper protocols.

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Russia heads for showdown with Armenia over Europe outreach

Arpi Talalian
Luxembourg Times
May 29 2026

The government in Yerevan has angered the Kremlin by declaring its intention to seek European Union membership

News agency
29/05/2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin joined a summit of the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union on Friday amid growing tensions with Armenia over its shift toward Europe.

The government in Yerevan has angered the Kremlin by declaring its intention to seek European Union membership, though any prospect of entering the bloc remains years away. Putin earlier this month drew a parallel to Ukraine, which he invaded in February 2022, and Kyiv’s own desire to join the EU.

Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan skipped the talks, which also included the leaders of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, saying he’s busy campaigning for 7 June parliamentary elections. 

“There was a businesslike discussion of the situation that is developing, which everyone is perfectly aware of,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said about Armenia, according to the Interfax news service. He added that the four leaders made a statement on the matter at the meeting, but didn’t elaborate on its contents.

Meanwhile, Russia is threatening to impose economic penalties on Armenia if the small Caucasus republic continues to pursue its goal of bloc membership.

Russia will suspend or terminate agreements on supplies of gas, fuel and rough diamonds if Armenia continues its EU accession process, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow warned on Wednesday. Preferential gas supplies could be replaced by a market-based regime involving far higher prices if Armenia leaves the Eurasian Union, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia already this month suspended imports of flowers, mineral water, wine and brandy from Armenia, citing alleged breaches of phytosanitary standards. On Thursday, it followed up with restrictions that will also include imports of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and strawberries. 

“Moscow is explicitly deploying what is meant to be a trade forum as a geopolitical ultimatum: turn away from Russia and you will feel the pain,” said Bota Iliyas, a risk analyst at the London-based firm Schillings. “Applying pressure now, ahead of Armenia’s elections in June, is also a way for Moscow to make Pashinyan pay a price for his Western pivot.”

Armenia is at the centre of an increasing geopolitical struggle in the Caucasus region that’s a key element of the so-called Middle Corridor route for trade and energy supplies linking Europe and China through Central Asia and bypassing Russia. Long the region’s dominant power, Russia is now facing competition for influence from the US, the EU and regional powers including Turkey and Iran.

Russia remains Armenia’s largest trading partner, though the total volume has declined from its 2024 record of nearly $12 billion (€10.2 billion). 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a brief stopover in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, on Tuesday to sign a “comprehensive strategic partnership” agreement as well as a joint declaration on the planned ‘Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity’. The two sides intend to form a joint company to manage transport, energy and digital infrastructure on the route through Armenia linking neighbouring Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave. 

Armenia held its first bilateral summit with the EU in Yerevan this month, a day after it hosted dozens of world leaders for the European Political Community meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attendance at the latter event angered Russian officials, who accused Armenia of “unfriendly” actions.

Home to the only Russian military base in the South Caucasus, Armenia on Thursday marked its Republic Day with a military parade showcasing hardware purchased outside Russia, highlighting Yerevan’s effort to reduce its reliance on Moscow.

“The Kremlin is seeking to send a broader message to other post-Soviet states that may be tempted to follow Armenia’s example and deepen cooperation with the EU,” said Natia Seskuria, a senior research fellow in Russian and Eurasian security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute.

Putin warned Pashinyan that Armenia can’t be a member of both blocs and has suggested Russia is ready for a “mutually beneficial divorce” if Armenians opt for Europe. 

“We understand perfectly well – and we don’t need Russia to tell us – that membership in the EEU and membership in the EU are incompatible,” Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan said last week. When the moment comes to choose, “we will make that decision,” he said.

Russia has rejected that approach and said it will raise the question of Armenia’s continued involvement in the EEU, even as there’s no mechanism to suspend or expel the country. Pashinyan said the matter can’t be discussed as Armenia isn’t seeking to change its status in the group. 

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan attended Friday’s meeting and said his country continues to work in good faith within the group. 

“While advancing on the path to the EU, which is the sovereign right of Armenia, it cannot and should not do so” using the funds of Eurasian Economic Union member states, Peskov said Friday, according to Interfax. “It has to do this at its own expense.”

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Think about it: Putin listed the points that Armenia will lose from leaving th

Liana Toganian
Eurasia Daily
May 29 2026
May 29th, 2026
19:24

At this moment, Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding a press conference in Astana following his visit to Kazakhstan. In his speech, in the first minutes he touched upon the situation with Armenia’s withdrawal from the EAEU and its future prospects. Here are the main statements of the Russian leader.

  • The Russian and Armenian peoples have been linked by bonds of friendship and special relations for centuries.
  • Any decisions that will be taken by Yerevan will not spoil the ties between Russia and Armenia.
  • The crisis on Ukraine started with a similar situation to what is happening with Armenia now.
  • Armenia now has access to a large and developed market of the EAEU, but if it starts to switch to EU standards, integration with it will objectively have to be curtailed.
  • Armenia will lose 14% of GDP, as energy prices will have to be raised.
  • Energy benefits are not the only advantage of the EAEU for Armenia. The share of Russian capital investments in the republic is above 86%.
  • Rail transportation tariffs for Armenia will have to be increased from the current domestic ones.
  • Armenia will not be able to import its agricultural products to Russia, and where will it send it?
  • In case of withdrawal from the EAEU, the usual requirements for migrants will begin to apply to Armenian citizens.

In conclusion, Vladimir Putin noted that the EAEU would ask Armenia to hold a referendum on EU membership as early as possible.

More details: https://eadaily.com/en/news/2026/05/29/think-about-it-putin-listed-the-points-that-armenia-will-lose-from-leaving-the-eaeu

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Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union urges Armenian referendum

Ophelia Vardapetian
Euronews
May 29 2026
By Peter Barabas & Aleksandar Brezar
Published on 29/05/2026 – 20:21 GMT+2

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) leaders gathered at a summit in Astana and urged Yerevan to choose between the Russia-led union and the EU, as the 7 June Armenian election emerges as a pivotal moment in the geopolitical evolution of the South Caucasus.

In the run-up to Armenia’s decisive 7 June elections, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) leaders issued a joint statement warning Armenia that its EU accession plans pose “serious risks” to the economic security of all EAEU countries.

During their summit in Astana on Friday, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan called on Yerevan to hold a national referendum as soon as possible on Armenia’s choice between the EU and the Moscow-led bloc.

They warned Yerevan that its move towards EU accession may lead to the country’s suspension from the organisation and launched a so-called formal review into Armenia’s membership in view of a possible suspension by December.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already touted the idea of a referendum on Armenia’s future, saying earlier that it would be “quite logical … to ask the Armenian citizens what their choice would be.”

“Based on that, we would make our own choice as well,” he said at the time.

On Friday Putin also repeated an earlier parallel he made between Ukraine and Armenia, telling the gathered press that “the crisis in Ukraine began at one point with Ukraine’s attempts to join the EU.”

Putin has previously said that membership in both blocs was “impossible”.

Yerevan supports ‘mutually beneficial cooperation’

Armenia was represented at the Moscow-led union summit by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was busy with the election campaign for the 7 June elections.

A video from the summit showed Putin shaking hands with Grigoryan while greeting the other leaders.

The EAEU statement was conveyed to Grigoryan, who told the summit that Armenia “remains committed to constructive participation in the EAEU based on mutual respect, equal partnership, and consideration of all members’ national interests,” and that Yerevan supports “mutually beneficial cooperation”.

Armenia has consistently maintained that it does not plan to withdraw from the EAEU but will continue its pro-EU course.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk asked for patience when asked if there has been any movement on the matter during the summit, adding that the situation is “not so straightforward.”

Meanwhile on Friday, Russia continued to increase its pressure on Pashinyan’s government ahead of the defining Armenian elections, announcing that it would impose “temporary restrictions” on Armenian exports of certain fruits and vegetables, adding to the recent bans on Armenian mineral water, wines and brandy.

Russia’s restrictions come as the Kremlin has ramped up its repeated warnings to Yerevan over its pro-Western path, threatening to end its cheap gas and oil supplies, which are vital to Armenia, and to show Armenians the consequences of a possible Pashinyan victory on 7 June.

“I told Pashinyan, ‘Everything that is acceptable and good for the Armenians is acceptable and good for Russia. Do as you think is good for the Armenian people,” Putin said at the summit on Friday.

“Our people are connected by centuries of friendship and nothing can damage our humanitarian ties. But, there are questions that are purely economic.”

“It is not possible to reconcile the standards of the EU with the standards of the EAEU. That is why we shall be forced to roll back all our economic activities in Armenia” if it were to move closer to the 27-member bloc, Putin told reporters at the end of the summit in Astana.

Related
  • Trump endorses Pashinyan ahead of Armenia’s high-stakes, historic elections
  • US and Armenia pledge to move forward on economic corridor during Rubio visit

Amid widespread allegations of Russian interference in Armenia’s election campaign and support for the Armenian opposition, Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that Armenia conveyed informally to Moscow the message that certain Russian officials were not welcome as election observers.

Putin’s words right after Trump’s endorsement

The EAEU statement only mentioned Armenia’s pro-EU course, but it comes just one day after US President Donald Trump gave Pashinyan his “complete and total endorsement” for re-election, describing him as “a great friend and leader” who is making Armenia “strong, wealthy, and very secure.”

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Yerevan, where he and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed a strategic partnership framework, a critical minerals memorandum of understanding, and a cooperation agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity — known as TRIPP — a transit corridor linking Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through southern Armenia.

Trump linked his endorsement directly to Rubio’s visit, saying the US and Armenia would “soon break ground” on the TRIPP corridor, which he said would “transform the South Caucasus” and open energy access from Central Asia to the US.

Standing next to Trump at the White House on Wednesday, Rubio described the critical minerals deal as “a reminder of another war President Trump helped settle,” referring to the historic Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement Pashinyan signed with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev at the White House last year.

“We are seeing the emergence of a great new relationship with Armenia,” Rubio added.

Pashinyan thanked Trump for the endorsement on X, posting the US and Armenian flags side by side.

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Firebird to Join Armenia’s National Education Efforts to Support AI-Native Le

Garo Vardanian
Weekly Voice
May 29 2026

Firebird to launch the Firebird Labs, an innovation platform that will invest in, incubate, and co-develop high-ambition technical ventures in Armenia.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA, May 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — • OpenAI, The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia, and Firebird are partnering to position Armenia as a global hub for AI-driven education, research, startups, innovation, and venture creation
• OpenAI is supporting the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport & Firebird Labs’ vision by providing technology access and technical support to ensure the benefits of AI extend to learners across the country

Firebird today announced the launch of Firebird Labs, an innovation platform that will invest in, incubate, and co-develop high-ambition technical ventures in Armenia. As first part of the launch, Firebird and The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia are bringing AI access to 50,000 students, teachers, and researchers in Armenia, expanding access to frontier AI tools across the country’s engineering and research community. OpenAI is supporting the initiative by providing technology access, team support and API credits.

The initiative marks a significant milestone in Armenia’s emergence as a global center for AI-driven education and innovation. Through this partnership, founders, engineers, and researchers will gain access to world-class AI tools, infrastructure, and expertise, enabling them to build globally competitive companies and contribute to the next wave of technological innovation.

“The future of technology is not something that will happen years from now. It is being shaped today, in classrooms, universities, and research communities around the world. We believe that meaningful investment in education is one of the most important investments a country can make, especially in the era of artificial intelligence. Armenia has extraordinary talent, and giving students, educators, and researchers access to the world’s most advanced AI tools can help unlock a new generation of innovators and builders. What makes this initiative especially important is the partnership behind it. This is about more than technology, it’s about Armenia’s future,” said Alexander Yesayan, Co-Founder of Firebird.

“Armenia has one of the highest concentrations of engineering talent in the region, supported by a government that is actively investing in its future as a global technology hub,” added Razmig Hovaghimian, Co-Founder and CEO of Firebird. “With Firebird Labs, we aim to give a new generation of builders access to frontier AI models and world-class compute infrastructure so they can innovate and compete on equal footing with the world’s leading AI teams.”

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Jayna Devani, International Education Lead at OpenAI, added, “Intelligence is becoming a national utility and education has an important role to play in making sure people have both access to the tools and the skills to use them well. With Firebird’s investment in AI infrastructure and long-term commitment to Armenia’s innovation ecosystem, this collaboration brings together the country’s strong talent base, frontier tools like ChatGPT and Codex, and practical support for students, educators and researchers to help close capability gaps and strengthen the foundations for globally competitive innovation.”

Armenia is joining a group of leading countries advancing the use of Codex and ChatGPT Edu, designed for academic institutions, providing access to OpenAI’s latest models with enterprise-grade security and controls. This initiative will support universities and educators in integrating AI into teaching and research, helping prepare a new generation for a technology-driven future, following successful implementation in other countries and at leading institutions such as Harvard University and the University of Oxford.

“Armenia, like many advanced nations, also sees its future in technological development, and that future must be built on a strong and modern education system. We welcome this initiative, which expands access to artificial intelligence tools and creates new opportunities for our universities, educators, and students. The introduction of ChatGPT Edu and the development of AI-driven learning environments bring Armenia closer to leading global institutions, where such technologies are already transforming education. This is an important step in preparing a new generation of professionals who will not only use technology, but help shape its future,” said Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia.

Firebird Labs, an innovation platform launching in Q3 2026, will invest in, incubate and co-develop high-ambition technical ventures across three strategic verticals: robotics and physical AI, aerospace, and life sciences. Firebird Labs targets five ventures per year, working with deeply technical teams over longer time horizons than a traditional startup program.

Selected participants (Frontier Fellows) will receive a comprehensive set of resources from Firebird, including:

• Access to the latest OpenAI technology to build during our upcoming hackathon, including Codex and API credits
• Firebird and OpenAI mentoring and technical support
• Dedicated GPU capacity from Firebird, scaling up to 1,000 GPUs, reserved for Frontier Fellows in 2027
• Structured research partnerships with leading Armenian, U.S. and European universities
• Firebird’s operational infrastructure, physical workspace, and ecosystem support in partnership with AI9 Startup Campus
• Participation in hackathons, global events, and potential investment opportunities

Details on upcoming hackathons, the competitive selection process, and opportunities to officially apply will be announced at a later stage. Participants will also gain access to major international events and may be considered for joint investment from Firebird and its global partner network.

Firebird Labs is oriented around original research, technical breakthroughs, and company formation on cutting-edge compute infrastructure. Armenia’s combination of engineering talent, government commitment, clean energy, and high-potential infrastructure makes it one of the few places outside the major AI centers capable of producing globally competitive frontier companies.

Firebird holds U.S. government export authorization and operates one of the largest GPU clusters in Europe, with the capacity to scale to 250 megawatts by 2027. Firebird’s Phase 2 expansion in Armenia, announced in February 2026, targets $4 billion in investment and 50,000 GPUs by the end of 2026.

About Firebird
Firebird is a U.S. and Armenia-based AI cloud and infrastructure company designed to provide secure, scalable, and globally accessible GPU infrastructure. Its mission is to democratize access to advanced AI computing, enabling innovation across research and enterprise in both the private and

GRIGORY YURIN
Firebird
[email protected]
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