The ruling Civil Contract Party had three tasks when it came to power in Armenia: to hand over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Azerbaijan, to strengthen anti-Russian sentiments in Armenia by achieving the withdrawal of the Russian military base in the country, and to make a geopolitical change towards the West. Political technologist Armen Badalyan told this at a press conference Tuesday.
“The first attempt to hand over Artsakh took place in the 2020 war, but Russian troops were able to stop it. They [i.e., the Armenian authorities] have achieved certain things regarding anti-Russian sentiments [in Armenia]. The authorities are successful in this regard; and if it remains this way, the trend will continue. The issue of [new] geopolitical orientation [of Armenia] is becoming noticeable in the last few months. The statements of Armenia’s officials are qualified as a provocation, anti-Russian even at the level of the spokesperson of the Russian president. The anti-Russian sentiment is being strengthened [in Armenia] especially when Russia has not succeeded in its problem with Ukraine,” said Badalyan.
In his opinion, Azerbaijan actually understands well that if Armenia gives up Artsakh, then Russia will not give it up because Russia already has two factors in Artsakh: peacekeeping forces, and Artsakh Minister of State—and Russian Armenian—Ruben Vardanyan.
“After some time, it is possible that the military sphere will be completely removed from the control of [Artsakh President] Arayik Harutyunyan and given to Ruben Vardanyan. That is, Russia wants to completely pull out the military sphere of Artsakh from the control of Armenia, and that is why Azerbaijan demands the removal of Ruben Vardanyan. They understand that Ruben Vardanyan gives people there [in Artsakh] hope that Russia will do something. Ukraine’s resources are almost exhausted. And there are calculations that Russia will achieve great success and, in that case, you will not even try to remove that type of Russia from the Caucasus. That’s why the actions are so accelerated now,” said Badalyan.
The political technologist notes that the current Azerbaijani blockade of Artsakh and the intensification of anti-Russian sentiment by Armenia’s authorities coincided. It had never happen that the authorities criticized in the holiday message, and this is another destination in the line.
“Artsakh cannot remain under a blockade for months; the road [i.e., the Lachin corridor linking Artsakh to Armenia] must be [re]opened somehow. It cannot remain closed for a long time because it harms not only the residents of Artsakh, but there is also the issue of [Russian] peacekeepers. After all, the peacekeepers in Artsakh need weapons, ammunition, food, necessary logistical things which they are deprived of [now],” Badalyan emphasized.
Azerbaijan started this blockade.
But Russia is enforcing it.
Russia could easily remove the Azeri “demonstrators” blocking the road. The entire thing is a Russian charade.
Russia also approves of the Azeri invasion and occupation of southern Armenia, That’s why Putin has done nothing about it. One phone call from Putin to Aliyev would put an end to it.
Russia has never been Armenia’s friend. Russia is Armenia’s overlord.
How does it feel?