Fri Sep 20 11:07:24 UTC 2024: ## Armenia Accuses Russia of Training Coup Plotters, Deepening Diplomatic Rift

**YEREVAN, Armenia** – Tensions between Russia and Armenia have escalated further following Armenia’s accusation that Russia trained Armenian citizens to carry out a coup against the government. The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia (ICRA) revealed on September 18 that seven alleged conspirators are being prosecuted on espionage charges, claiming they received training and financial support from Russia.

According to the ICRA, the alleged rebels, former residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, were paid 220,000 Russian rubles (approximately $2,370) per month and spent three months training at a Russian base in the use of heavy weapons and combat operations.

This incident further strains already tense relations between the two countries, which have been deteriorating since 2022. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has openly criticized Russia’s perceived inaction during the 2020 conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, accusing Moscow of siding with Azerbaijan.

Russia’s alleged involvement in a coup attempt comes at a time when Armenia is seeking to diversify its foreign policy away from Russia, potentially joining the European Union in the long run. Experts believe that Russia is attempting to undermine Pashinyan’s government, which came to power in 2018 after mass protests against Russian influence.

“Moscow has seen the current PM Pashinyan as a challenge to its influence in Armenia,” said Dr. Neil Melvin, Director of International Security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

While there is limited evidence to support the coup attempt claim, experts note that Russia has been engaging in a campaign to stir discontent within Armenia, pointing to Pashinyan’s perceived weakness following the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“It is not beyond possibility that Russia would simultaneously be trying to actively overthrow the current Armenian government,” stated Callum Fraser, Research Fellow in Russia and Eurasian Studies at RUSI.

This accusation, coupled with Russia’s failure to address Azerbaijan’s occupation of Armenian territory, further fuels tensions between the two countries, deepening the rift between Russia and its traditional ally in the Caucasus region.

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