Russia threatens sanctions as Pashinyan’s Armenia pulls further from Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, April 1, 2026. (Photo: Sputnik/Sofya Sandurskaya/Pool via REUTERS)
The Kremlin is trying to discredit the results of Armenia’s parliamentary election, won by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract
party, the Institute for the Study of War said in a June 9 report.
On June 8 and June 9, Russian officials and military
“bloggers” spread false claims aimed at undermining Civil Contract’s victory.
They claimed Pashinyan had lost because his party failed to win more than 50%
of the vote, alleged the election took place “under strong pressure” from the
West and amid a crackdown on domestic opposition, and claimed there had been
mass interference and fraud.
On June 8, the head of Russia’s Federal Agency for Fishery,
in what ISW described as a threat of economic sanctions over Armenia’s
distancing from Moscow, said Russia would tighten restrictions on fish imports
from Armenia if “veterinary risks” emerged.
ISW analysts said Russian officials are trying to undermine
Pashinyan’s victory because he has recently moved away from ties and
cooperation with Russia and no longer represents the Kremlin’s interests in
Armenia. In recent months, Armenia’s Civil Contract party has shifted its
political course away from Russia and toward the EU, while seeking to reduce
Armenia’s role in the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
The Kremlin launched a similar campaign after Maia Sandu won
Moldova’s presidential election in 2024, seeking to discredit the vote. Russian
authorities alleged fraud, pressure on the opposition and the “illegitimacy” of
the election. Moscow also claimed Sandu won only because of votes from Moldovan
citizens living abroad.
The Kremlin has made similar claims about other post-Soviet
countries when election results do not align with Russia’s interests. In such
cases, Russia often promotes claims of “stolen” elections.
Armenia’s parliamentary election on June 7
Armenia held parliamentary elections on June 7, with Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeking to stay in power. Pashinyan has led Armenia
since 2018 and has increasingly tried to counter Russia’s efforts to keep the
country in the Kremlin’s orbit.
The vote was Armenia’s first nationwide election since its
defeat in the 2023 war with Azerbaijan, when Baku regained control of
Nagorno-Karabakh. Eighteen political forces took part — 16 parties and two
party blocs, including Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party.
After 100% of ballots were processed, Pashinyan’s party
received nearly 50% of the vote and won the election.
Official results from all precinct protocols showed four
political forces winning seats in Armenia’s parliament, the National Assembly:
- Civil Contract, the party of incumbent Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan and the election winner — 49.81%, 727,160 votes;
- Strong Armenia, the alliance of Russian-Armenian billionaire
Samvel Karapetyan — 23.29%, 340,062 votes;
- The Armenia bloc, led by former President Robert Kocharyan — 9.94%, 145,097 votes;
- Prosperous Armenia, led by oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan — 4%,
58,368 votes.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
