Russia Threatens Gas Cutoff to Armenia Over Politics

Russia has threatened to halt natural gas deliveries to Armenia starting November 1 if the government in Yerevan fails to comply with several political demands set by Moscow. According to Armenian newspaper Hraparak, scheduled maintenance work has already been announced, with consumers currently being supplied with gas from accumulated reserves.

The sources claim that a 'major accident' or another force majeure event could occur after November 1, preventing the resumption of Russian gas supplies. To avert this scenario, Moscow has presented Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with four specific demands.

The first condition addresses the presence of the 102nd Russian Military Base in Armenia, demanding that Pashinyan refrain from raising discussions regarding its ongoing deployment. The second demand targets assets with Russian ownership, including the national railway network and Gazprom, requiring Armenian authorities to cease any actions regarding these assets that Moscow might interpret as an infringement on Russian capital.

The third condition concerns foreign policy direction, specifically the choice between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. Moscow is reportedly requiring Yerevan to either repeal the law 'On the Initiation of the Process of the Republic of Armenia's Accession to the European Union' or schedule a definitive date for a public referendum on the matter.

The fourth requirement calls for an end to the prosecution of pro-Russian political figures, specifically referencing Robert Kocharyan, Gagik Tsarukyan, Andranik Tevanyan, and Samvel Karapetyan. Additionally, Hraparak's sources mention a further demand to appoint an acceptable deputy prime minister to the Armenian government with whom Russian officials can coordinate directly.