Complete blockade: situation in Armenia got out of control

The events that began on April 13 in Armenia are increasingly beginning to resemble Ukraine at the beginning of the second Maidan in 2014. And this cannot but cause serious concern in Russia.





Moscow and Yerevan are strategic allies. Between the two countries almost three hundred treaties and agreements have been concluded. Russia is the leader in terms of investment in Armenia. More than a thousand companies with Russian capital work in this Caucasian republic. Armenia is a member of the CSTO and the Eurasian Economic Union. There is a long-standing conflict between Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. There is a Russian military base in Armenian Gyumri.

Internal unrest in Armenia began after Serzh Sargsyan, who had twice fulfilled his official duties as president of the country, decided, following the example of his Russian counterpart, to remain in power as prime minister. At the same time, it is noted that a “super-prime” republic was built near Sargsyan, where the main powers from the president were transferred to the head of government. Opposition considers Serzh Sargsyan responsible for deterioration economic situation in the country and accuses of poor governance. On April 13, mass protests began in Armenia. On April 17, the opposition announced the start of a “velvet revolution” in the country. On April 23, Sargsyan resigned, obeying the requirements of the street.

A logical question arose on the agenda: if not Sargsyan, then who? Nikol Pashinyan, the head of the protest movements, has nominated himself for the post of prime minister of the republic. However, the ruling elite, who sat in the National Assembly of Armenia, did not let a person from the street into power. Last Tuesday, only 45 of the required 53 votes were cast in Parliament for Nikola Pashinyan. According to the current laws of the state, in a week the National Assembly must re-vote and elect the Prime Minister, otherwise it will be dissolved.

The opposition, obviously, decided not to waste time and use it to put pressure on the authorities. On May 2, Nikol Pashinyan called on the residents of Armenia to hold a general rally of civil disobedience, block roads, streets, and start a strike. As a result, motorways and railways were really blocked. To make matters worse, the Yerevan airport was blocked, which for mountainous Armenia is an important window into the world. Protesters began to block members of the ruling party in the homes, calls for physical reprisals against them with home addresses began to appear on the Internet.

Nikol Pashinyan claims that the total block will last another week at least. Representatives of the authorities note that in this way a serious blow was dealt to the food security of the state, the railway cannot guarantee the safety of the transport of goods and passengers. Ordinary residents suffer, for example, it became known that a pregnant woman could not get to the hospital because of the road closure, and the rescuers had to rescue her. Pashinyan insists on the peaceful nature of the protest and urged to unblock the airport:



The opposition is convinced that the local police and the army are on their side. The Armenian Defense Ministry stated:



In general, the Armenian security forces are still neutral. Opinions are voiced in the Russian parliament that the rise to power of Pashinyan through street protests and the total blockage of the country can hardly be legitimate. The situation in the Caucasian republic is gradually escalating, and the enemies of Armenia and Russia can take advantage of it.