USAID’s work has led to half of Armenian society seeing Russia as an enemy – Robert Ustyan

May 01 2025, 11:56

Politics

Political scientist Robert Ustyan told Alpha News how USAID taught Armenians to hate Russia and carried out a phenomenal operation in its fight for the hearts and minds of Armenians.

“Our esteemed American partners are proud that they carried out a phenomenal operation—without firing a single shot—completely outplaying Russia in their battle for the hearts and minds of Armenians. A media empire was established, pushing the narrative that Armenia’s only viable path is a pro-Western one, with no alternative. At the same time, let’s look at those who occupy key positions in the Armenian government, these people bluntly and clumsily promote anti-Russian narratives. And in the end, we have a very clear understanding that a significant part of Armenian society today, despite any practical actions taken by the West, strongly supports a pro-Western trajectory. And this is phenomenal, I simply take my hat off to those who are doing this. Mr. Pashinyan, while in Estonia, reassures us that Armenia will not sever ties with Russia and recognizes it as a partner. But we see how in practice his loyal army of bloggers is today engaged in monstrous discrediting of Russia,” Ustyan said.

“USAID has formed an army of people who promote the Western and anti-Russian narrative. This army of people calls anyone who questions Armenia’s pro-Western path a Russian spy, a Kremlin ‘henchman’—yet, they themselves have become an army of America’s external influence. In 2017, 1,029 media outlets were registered in Armenia. These are obscure and largely unknown news platforms, part of an orchestrated effort to channel public dissatisfaction and, in my opinion, facilitate the rise of a leader aligned with their interests. American strategists who analyze everything that is happening chose Armenia, as this could be the place where there is discontent among the people. This is soft power—a concept dismissed for years in Russia. This is not the creation of a media empire in a hurry in one hour, this is the creation of 1,029 media outlets in a year. I will just remind you that USAID was officially created as a machine to counter Russian influence,” Ustyan said.

According to the political scientist, the cost for severing relations with Russia will be monstrously high for Armenia.

“In my opinion, Russia needs to ask itself what happened over the past 30 years and how to act now in the new realities of the South Caucasus, what role model Moscow should be, what soft power instruments should be used to make itself appealing to young and bright Armenians. Russia should communicate in clear terms how today Russia and Armenia help each other, how the Armenian economy gains billions due to its membership in the EAEU. I hope that there will be people who will simply explain all these realities in an accessible way and show with facts that Armenia cannot now painlessly break off its relations with Russia, that the cost will be monstrously high,” Ustyan said.

According to the expert, due to the brilliantly implemented USAID program, part of Armenian society today sees Russia as an enemy.

“USAID has influenced Armenia so much that 48% of Armenians say that the country should cut ties with Russia. Due to the very carefully thought-out and brilliantly implemented USAID program, part of the Armenian society today sees Russia as an enemy, and when you start talking to people, they cannot even explain to you why. This is a remarkable example of psychological influence—without argumentation, without clear, understandable cause-and-effect relationships, many Armenians today have accumulated this hatred and negativity towards Russia, but I hope this will all change. Most importantly, both nations need individuals who are willing to clean this up and acknowledge past mistakes,” Ustyan concluded.