Russia has stepped up covert operations aimed at undermining the Armenian leadership's re-election plans. Moscow has expressed concern about Armenia's growing ties with the West, Reuters reports, citing Western intelligence and confidential documents.
According to reports, Moscow has launched campaigns supporting candidates loyal to Russia and is considering organizing the transportation of tens of thousands of Armenian voters from Russia to influence the results of the June 7 parliamentary elections. These operations include online propaganda and attempts to manipulate voter turnout.
"Pashinyan's actions pose a danger to Russia," Reuters quotes Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe.
He emphasized that Armenia's diversification of its foreign policy weakens Moscow's influence. Western officials consider Russian oligarch Samvel Karapetyan to be Russia's main asset and an opponent of incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The article also claims that Russia has intensified online campaigns, using botnets and disinformation networks to discredit the Armenian authorities. The Russian side categorically denies these accusations, calling them a manifestation of "spy paranoia."
Earlier, The Insider reported that after unsuccessful attempts to influence elections in Moldova and Hungary, where pro-Russian forces suffered defeats, the Kremlin has focused its efforts on Armenia, seeking to prevent Pashinyan from winning the upcoming parliamentary elections. The publication's investigation indicated that a department within the Russian presidential administration is handling the "Armenian direction."
