Refusing Russia’s help is fatal for Armenia, expert says

 
Speaking with Alpha News, Russian military expert Anatoly Matviychuk commented on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that the legitimacy of borders is more important than allies.

According to the expert, neither the economic nor the military potential of Armenia will be able to resist the Azerbaijani-Turkish armed potential.

“The legitimation of borders is, of course, a pressing issue for the two states, which is on the agenda; some lines need to be drawn. But a specific force must ensure the security of these lines. In this situation, apparently, this is the Armenian border guard corps and the Armenian armed forces. But if we now compare the Armenian army and the Azerbaijani army, i.e., the Turkish army, then, of course, the Armenian one looks very unpresentable and even defective,” Matviychuk said.

“Today Pashinyan is trying to reduce Armenia’s dependence on Russia in security, as he says, for the benefit of the Armenian people. The question is: who will then ensure the security of Armenia’s sovereign lines if Armenia does not have a certain military potential? This means that Pashinyan will have to ask someone for help because both the economic and military potential of Armenia today will not be able to resist the Azerbaijani-Turkish armed potential. Iran will not provide this assistance. Iran can only provide moral support, but it will not deploy its forces on the territory of Armenia just like that.

That’s why Armenia’s only ally is the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). But Pashinyan is afraid to come to meetings because the leaders will ask uncomfortable questions, and he will have to take some responsibility. He doesn’t want to take it because he has already promised the West a lot. The fact is that refusing Russia’s help and Russia’s military presence is a fatal decision for Armenia,” Matviychuk concluded.