Yerevan’s anti-Russian rhetoric to intensify ahead of elections in Armenia, expert says

As the 2026 parliamentary elections approach, Armenian authorities are expected to strengthen and harden their anti-Russian rhetoric, attempting to shift the blame for their mistakes onto Moscow, Konstantin Tasits, a leading expert at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, told TASS.

“Ahead of the elections, we see a tightening of rhetoric aimed at blaming Russia for their own mistakes and finding some Russian trace in internal issues,” the expert noted. He explained that the path chosen by the Armenian authorities is characterized as a deviation. Yerevan is trying not to lose the advantages of relations with Russia, mainly economic, while at the same time seeking some alternative in the West—financial and political support, and possibly military assistance in the future.

“Their course of diversification of foreign policy relations has been underway for several years, but they have not received any real support from the West. It remains at the level of promises and discussions. Given that the West is not ready to offer any full replacement for the support Armenia receives from Russia, a significant turnaround in the near future seems unlikely,” the expert noted.