Pashinyan accused "Putin's friend" of organizing riots in Yerevan

moscowtimes.ru: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has publicly asserted that individuals linked to the previous administration are orchestrating the ongoing protests in Armenia, raising concerns about the potential involvement of former leaders in destabilizing the country.

In remarks quoted by the Arka news agency, Pashinyan addressed the recent wave of protests in Yerevan, which have been ongoing for three days. He expressed his suspicion that organized groups of students and athletes are attempting to foment mass riots within the capital.

"What does it mean — organized groups of students and athletes are trying to organize mass riots in Yerevan? One of them, according to our information, has a connection with the son of one of the former leaders of Armenia, the rest of the students have a connection with the top leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh. But whoever it is, the answer will be tough," Pashinyan declared.

While the prime minister did not mention specific names in connection with the protests, it is worth noting that Levon, the son of former President Robert Kocharian, played an active role in the May 2022 protests. Those demonstrations were triggered by Pashinyan's parliamentary speech in which he called for a revision of Nagorno-Karabakh's status and advocated for a peace agreement with Azerbaijan.

The Kremlin, for its part, has maintained that Robert Kocharian, the former president, has shared a longstanding and amicable relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for President Putin, stated, "You know that for many years both Putin and Kocharian have maintained good relations that are not affected by any events that are taking place in Armenia."

In response to the ongoing protests, security measures have been intensified around government buildings in Yerevan to avert any escalation of the conflict. Reportedly, rows of security forces have been deployed to protect government premises.

Prime Minister Pashinyan voiced concerns about the demonstrators' intentions, suggesting that they seek to provoke the authorities into using force. "But there are borders that they want to cross: they want the authorities to shed blood on the streets of Yerevan, and this is their goal. We will act harshly, but in accordance with the laws, according to the steel mandate," he affirmed.