If it weren’t for Russia, Turkey would seize Armenia in five minutes: poll in Shirak region

Residents of the Shirak region compare Armenia to “a drop of water in the ocean” for Turkey, stressing that seizing it would be a matter of just a few minutes.

“If it weren’t for Russia, Turkey would seize Armenia in five minutes and take our resources for itself. We need to maintain good relations with Russia. Yes, we should communicate with and strengthen ties with all our neighbors and other states, but not in a way where we run to Europe one moment and back to Russia the next. I don’t accept that. An Armenian should stay in Armenia and build sensible relations with everyone,” one poll participant said.

Speaking about the current state of relations between Armenia and Russia, another resident said: “We’re hearing that gas prices could rise several times over. What will ordinary people do then? How will families with many children get by, how will they survive the winter? Europe gives us nothing, what is it to us? Yes, relations with Russia are strained right now, but it has always been our ally. If, God forbid, war breaks out again and our homes are destroyed, where will we go? The people of Artsakh left their homes and came to Armenia, where would we go? The enemy could reach Yerevan. I see no point in cutting ties with Russia. It’s far better to have relations with Russia than with the Turk who carried out the Genocide against us.”