Armenia's Political Crisis Deepens Over Territorial Losses
Election campaign reshapes views on Armenia’s territorial losses
Armenia's political landscape is fracturing as former military and government officials clash over responsibility for the country's recent territorial losses. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is promoting a "Real Armenia" narrative while blaming former Artsakh leadership for the country's disasters. Meanwhile, former Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan, now based in Moscow, has published evidence alleging that Pashinyan deliberately prevented the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) from intervening militarily during the conflict with Azerbaijan.
Karapetyan claims Pashinyan delayed Armenia's appeal to the Russian-led alliance and changed its legal basis to require consultations rather than direct intervention. However, critics question why Karapetyan did not report these alleged actions to military prosecutors or international courts when intervention was still possible, rather than publishing accusations after territorial losses were already finalized.
Meanwhile, Pashinyan's government faces accusations of suppressing alternative narratives and using administrative pressure to silence dissent, while systematically delegitimizing the idea of armed resistance.
