Armenia and the USSR

Overnight, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh restarted. It was a short war in 2020. This time, Azerbaijan went to war along the entire line of contact. Russian peacekeepers allegedly gave Armenian positions to the Azeríes. Some of this is part of the effort to reform the USSR. At least, this is the current feeling in Yerevan. First, let me share what Dmitry Medvedev had to say. Again, this is not your crazy drunk uncle at the local watering hole:

“Once, one of my colleagues from a fraternal country told me: “Well, I’m a stranger to you, you won’t accept me.” I answered what I should: “We will judge not by biography, but by actions.” Then he lost the war, but strangely stayed in place. Then he decided to blame Russia for his mediocre defeat. Then he gave up part of the territory of his country. Then he decided to flirt with NATO, and his wife defiantly went to our enemies with cookies.
Guess what fate awaits him…”

What has been the defiance? Yerevan will enact the Rome statute of the International Court. They also want to leave the Collective Treaty Security Organization (CSTO.) Here is one of those interesting random facts. Azerbaijan is a member as well. This would be the equivalent of Bulgaria attacking Romania; both are NATO members.

So, there is a large crowd around the Russian embassy in Yerevan. There are also security forces. What are the people reportedly chanting? Glad you asked because it tells this:

“Farewell unwashed Russia, country of slaves, country of masters, laurels are a bitch, and Putin is a b*tch”: the Armenians handed over the base and called on the government to leave the CSTO.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan claims that its troops took control of more than 60 positions of the Armenian military during the operation in the Karabakh region.

Now, here is where this gets complex from a geopolitical point of view. Who supports Azerbaijan? it’s not just Russia by default. It’s also Turkey and Israel:

Israel’s involvement in NK is part of a larger geopolitical puzzle; both Israel and Turkey have been using this conflict: not only as a ‘laboratory’ to examine the quality of their arms, but also to counter Iran’s aggressive ambitions in the region and to use NK as a ‘security buffer’. The arms Israel…