Viktor Mizin: Russia has more military-technical opportunities in the South Caucasus than the West does

Speaking with Alpha News, Russian political scientist Viktor Mizin commented on the news that NATO is encouraged by Armenia’s shift in foreign and defense policy.

According to the expert, Armenia has become the center of confrontation between Russia and the collective West.

“Armenia has become a center of confrontation between Russia and the collective West. There is actually a confrontation around the entire post-Soviet space, where it seemed that Russia’s positions were unshakable. Since a certain part of the Armenian elite is offended by Russia—Russia did not help and this led to the loss of Artsakh—Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the elite in general are turning to the West.

This also happens since there are influential Armenian diasporas in the US, France, and many other countries. The West wants to strengthen its position in the Caucasus because it is a strategically important area, given its geopolitical position close to Iran, Turkey, and the southern underbelly of Russia. So, this will be a center of confrontation between Russia and the West,” the expert said.

According to him, the West would have to try very hard to strengthen its position in Armenia.

“In a certain sense, unfortunately, Armenia is now becoming the object of such a big game. But it seems to me that we need to take into account opportunities and resources. Of course, Russia has more opportunities in military-technical and economic terms than the West, simply historically. And the West would have to try very hard to strongly consolidate its position in Armenia.

Although, of course, this vector, this trend for the development of Armenian-Western contacts and multilateral ties will develop, in my opinion. For Russia, this is such a serious signal, so it will warn many times that nothing good will come out of this,” Mizin concluded.