Wed Sep 18 21:47:00 UTC 2024: ## Armenia Accuses Russia of Training Rebels to Overthrow Government

**YEREVAN, Armenia** – Armenian prosecutors have accused Russia of training and funding a group of rebels with the intention of overthrowing the country’s pro-Western government. The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia announced today that seven people will be charged with preparing the usurpation of power by using violence and threats of violence to seize power.

According to official statements, six Armenians were recruited for three-month training in Russia and paid a monthly salary of 220,000 rubles ($2,377). They reportedly underwent background checks and polygraph tests before being transferred to the Arbat military base in Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia.

The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet responded to a request for comment. Relations between Armenia and Russia, its historic ally, have soured since the start of the Ukraine war. Armenia has frozen its membership in the CSTO military alliance, sent humanitarian aid to Kyiv, and held joint exercises with US forces.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan, Armenia’s long-time rival, has forged closer ties with the Kremlin. President Ilham Aliyev held friendly talks with President Vladimir Putin in Baku last month.

Moscow has accused the EU of interfering in its sphere of influence by signing a partnership agreement with the Armenian government. Earlier this year, Armenian authorities requested the withdrawal of Russian border guards stationed in Armenia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in September 2023 that the Russian peacekeeping mission in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh had failed to fulfill its role. Days later, Russian forces did not intervene when Azerbaijan launched a new offensive in the enclave, prompting the entire Armenian population to flee.

Pashinyan reiterated today that Armenia’s orientation towards the West will continue. “If we see the slightest realistic possibility of becoming a full member of the European Union, we will not miss that moment,” he said.

The alleged Russian plot comes amidst growing tensions between Armenia and Russia, highlighting the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Caucasus region.

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