Russia launches covert operation to sway Armenias elections: Report
Russia launches covert operation to sway Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections by busing tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians from Russia to vote against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, according to a Reuters investigation citing Western intelligence officials, government sources, and documents. The plan mirrors tactics used in Moldova, combining voter importation, support for a billionaire opposition candidate, and disinformation campaigns to unseat Pashinyan, whose pro-EU stance has drawn Moscow’s ire.
Four sources familiar with the discussions confirm Russian officials have spent months organizing the repatriation of Armenian citizens living in Russia, aiming to mobilize them against Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party. The strategy also includes leveraging energy threats—echoing past pressure tactics—to undermine the incumbent government. Reuters reports the operation has intensified in recent weeks, with Russian state-linked actors amplifying narratives that frame Pashinyan as a Western puppet.
A May 19–21 poll by MPG, published by *Europe Elects*, shows Pashinyan’s party leading with 33% support, a six-point gain since late April. The opposition *Mother Armenia* bloc trails at 17%, followed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) at 14%. While Pashinyan’s party maintains a comfortable margin, analysts warn the influx of Russian-mobilized voters could disrupt the race, particularly in tight districts.
The elections are widely seen as a referendum on Armenia’s foreign policy pivot. Pashinyan’s government has sought closer ties with the EU and the U.S. while distancing itself from Moscow, a shift that has strained relations with Russia, Armenia’s traditional security guarantor. Observers from the EU, OSCE, and Council of Europe are deploying missions to monitor the vote, citing concerns over potential interference and electoral integrity.
Azerbaijan, which recently secured a peace deal with Armenia after decades of conflict, views the elections as critical to regional stability. Baku has signaled it will respect Armenia’s democratic process but remains wary of any Russian-backed destabilization that could derail the fragile normalization efforts. The outcome will also test Armenia’s sovereignty amid competing geopolitical pressures, with some analysts framing the vote as a choice between European integration and a return to Moscow’s orbit.
Russia launches covert operation to sway Armenias elections: Report
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„Acțiunea autobuzul. Rusia intenționează să repatrieze zeci de mii de armeni pentru a vota. Strategia din Moldova, repetată la Erevan Rusia aplică în Armenia rețeta folosită în Moldova: alegători importați, un candidat miliardar, amenințări legate de gaze. Rusia a intensificat o campanie secretă pentru a împiedica realegerea prim-ministrului Nikol Pashinyan la alegerile parlamentare din 7 iunie din Armenia, potrivit unei investigații Reuters bazate pe informații furnizate de oficiali ai serviciilor de informații occidentale, surse guvernamentale și documente. Planurile sale includ dezinformare, sprijin pentru un candidat miliardar al opoziției și un plan de transportare a zeci de mii de armeni ruși în țara de origine pentru a vota, informează Euromaidan.
digi24 · 8 days ago
Cum vrea Rusia să-l înlăture de la putere pe actualul premier al Armeniei pentru că acesta este pro UE În ultimele luni, oficialii ruși au discutat un plan de repatriere a cetățenilor armeni care locuiesc în Rusia, pentru ca aceștia să voteze la alegerile parlamentare pentru adversarii actualului prim-ministru Nikol Pashinyan, scrie Reuters, citând patru surse.
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Armenia, MPG poll: KP~EPP|~S&D: 33 (+6) Mer dzevov-*: 17 (+3) HD/ARF-S&D: 14 (+6) BHK-*: 10 (+2) MT-*: 7 (+3) DOK-*: 4 (+1) LH-RE: 3 MPA-*: 3 (n.a.) NPRP-*: 3 (+1) BDE-*: 2 (n.a.) HK-*: 1 (-1) HKH-*: 1 (n.a.) KAVADZ-*: 0 (n.a.) HAK-RE: 0 (n.a.) CDP-*: 0 (-1) AZB-*: 0 (n.a.) DCP-*: 0 (n.a.) Alyans~ECR: 0 (n.a.) RK-*: 0 (n.a.) +/- vs. 27-29 April 2026 Fieldwork: 19-21 May 2026 Sample size: 1,102 ➤ europeelects.eu/armenia
telegram bot · 8 days ago