Harsh statements by Armenian government representatives against pro-Russian opposition figures and growing tensions between Moscow and Yerevan have triggered new political debates in the region. Lusine Badalyan, a deputy from the ruling “Civil Contract” party, and Arman Babajanyan, leader of the “For the Republic” party, accused pro-Russian opposition leaders of acting against Armenia’s sovereignty.
Political analyst Ahmad Shahidov said in an interview with ARB24 TV that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia now represent more of a geopolitical struggle than a domestic political race. According to him, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his team are trying to frame the elections as a “fight against Russian influence,” portraying figures such as Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Gagik Tsarukyan and Russian-Armenian oligarch Samvel Karapetyan as political projects of the Kremlin.
Ahmad Shahidov noted that the rise of anti-Russian rhetoric inside Armenia indicates a changing geopolitical balance in the South Caucasus. According to the political analyst, as Moscow’s influence in the region weakens, Western powers are increasing efforts to strengthen their positions in the region through Armenia, and this process is likely to become one of the main sources of political confrontation in the near future.
