Viktor Litovkin: Sometimes you need to use your head and common sense

Speaking with Alpha News, Russian military analyst Viktor Litovkin commented on the statement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that Armenia cannot develop defense cooperation only with Russia as it did before.

According to the expert, Armenia may be left without allies.

“The fact that Pashinyan wants to leave the CSTO is a decision of the parliament and government of Armenia. It’s up to you. So no one here can force Armenia to remain in the CSTO. But it is simply left without allies, that’s all. And living without allies is very bad. No one will be Armenia’s ally. Not Turkey, not Azerbaijan, not Georgia, not some Macron from France. France and the United States are far away, and the Turks are next door. So let Pashinyan and his government decide what is beneficial for them and what is beneficial not only for them but for the Armenian people in the first place. Let them decide if they want to keep the Armenian people independent or not,” Litovkin said.

According to Litovkin, the mismatch in types of weapons can play a negative role in their proper maintenance. 

“Armenia received weapons from Russia within the CSTO at the lowest prices with small extra charges for transportation, logistics, and so on. It is unlikely that any other country will sell weapons to Armenia at factory prices and present its advisors, instructors, and mentors at the same minimum prices. I hope Armenia has a lot of money; of course, it can buy weapons from anyone, from the Americans, from the French, from the Germans, and so on.

But there will be many types of weapons, and there will be a need to purchase spare parts for repairs. This will create difficulties in logistics. Because it is one thing when you have a relationship with one country, one weapons manufacturer, and its specialists; it’s another thing with different countries, different calibers, and different technical standards and service principles. Well, sometimes you just have to use your head and common sense. But when you don’t have them, nothing can be done to correct it,” Litovkin said.

Commenting on Indian weapons, which Armenia is now actively purchasing, Viktor Litovkin expressed serious skepticism regarding the effectiveness of this country’s weapons.

“Well, India almost doesn’t have its own weapons. India buys the same Russian weapons. It buys weapons from Germany, France, and the United States. Indian weapons are quite, well, ineffective. So, India not only buys weapons from other countries; it also insists that these weapons be produced on Indian territory, according to the ‘Made in India’ principle,” he noted.