In cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Stiftung Yerevan Office – South Caucasus Region, the Regional Center for Democracy and Security implements a project titled “Russian Leverage in Armenia.”
Armenia's perception of Russia, once seen as its traditional security guarantor, has now shifted to viewing it as a hostile actor. This change has been driven by Russia's security failures since the ceasefire of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. The situation further deteriorated following Azerbaijan's attacks on Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, which resulted in ethnic cleansing, despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers. Moreover, Russia's increasing alignment with Azerbaijan in the conflict with Armenia has further contributed to the perception of Russia as an adverse power. In response, Armenia is actively diversifying its political ties by strengthening relations with the West.
The project aims to address the lack of in-depth and systematic analysis of the critical sectors controlled by Russia in Armenia. The objective is to evaluate the specific threats posed by Russian influence in these areas to Armenian self-reliance and sovereignty. The project also aims to provide recommendations on how to address and mitigate these dependencies. As a result, a research report and policy recommendations will be prepared and communicated with the respective target audiences.
