Armenia braces for Russian election interference
Gevorg Papoyan / Facebook
Armenian citizens arriving from Russia
to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections will be sent to
mandatory military training, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said on
June 2.
According to a report by independent Russian outlet The Insider, Papoyan was commenting on rumors that the Moscow-backed opposition planned to bring 100,000 people from Russia for the June 7 vote. He said government polling indicates most of those arrivals would back the ruling Civil Contract party and that authorities intend to send 30,000 to 40,000 of them to military training before they return to Russia.
A pro-government Telegram channel, Bagramyan 26, wrote that beginning June 1 authorities have been scrutinizing Armenian citizens arriving from Russia. "Some people were handed draft notices to the military recruitment office to take part in training drills," the post said.
On May 29, Reuters, citing Western intelligence and
officials, reported that Russia secretly sought to send about 100,000 Armenians
to influence the vote against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
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