Armenia’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for this Sunday, June 7. Russia has repeatedly criticized incumbent Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for what the Kremlin views as Yerevan’s pro-Western turn. Armenia has deepened its cooperation with the European Union and the United States since Russia declined to come to its defense in the war with Azerbaijan. Moscow is now demanding that a pro-Russian businessman, Samvel Karapetyan, who is under house arrest, be allowed to run in the elections. Kremlin-linked bot networks have launched a sprawling disinformation campaign targeting Armenia and Pashinyan. According to Reuters, the Kremlin discussed a plan to send 100,000 Armenians living in Russia to Yerevan to vote against Pashinyan. Here is a brief look at the other ways Russia has been stepping up pressure on Armenia ahead of the vote.
- Food bans are a standard Russian tool, and Moscow has deployed them aggressively against Armenia. The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance has banned imports of Armenian strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, certain brands of cognac and wine, Jermuk mineral water, flowers, fish, apricots, cherries, plums, and grapes.
- Russia’s Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev has also threatened to cut off supplies of natural gas, petroleum products, and uncut diamonds to Armenia if Yerevan continues its push to join the European Union.
- The governments of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan jointly demanded that Armenia hold a referendum on whether it would remain in the Eurasian Economic Union or seek EU membership. Pashinyan refused, saying the question remained theoretical.
- After the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Astana, Russian President Vladimir Putin explicitly warned that if Armenia adopts EU standards, Moscow would “wind down” all economic integration with Yerevan and Armenian citizens would need permits to work in Russia. Putin also drew a pointed comparison to Ukraine, saying Kyiv’s bid to join the EU had once triggered a “crisis” in that country.
- Russia’s Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to Armenia, Sergei Kopyrkin, for consultations — a sharp diplomatic rebuke — over the Armenian leadership’s moves toward the EU, which Moscow said are undermining the Eurasian Economic Union.
- Amid those threats, the Kremlin says Putin called Pashinyan on his birthday — on June 1, the Armenian prime minister turned 51. During the call, Putin also discussed the summit in Astana, according to the Russian political Telegram channel Kontext. The Kremlin also published a telegram from Putin to Pashinyan saying Russia wants to maintain friendly ties with Armenia.
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