The “Ukrainian scenario” and fakes about NATO: how Russia influences the elections in Armenia
фото: Reuters
Attempts by the Russian Federation to interfere in the parliamentary elections in Armenia are being recorded, using artificial intelligence technologies and intimidation with military conflict.
This was announced on the air of “Pryamoy” by Iryna Gerashchenko, a member of the People’s Deputy and co-chair of the “European Solidarity” faction, who is part of the international observation mission in Yerevan.
According to her, the current election campaign is decisive for the country, as it determines the choice between the pro-Western course of the current Prime Minister Nikolay Pashinyan and the pro-Russian orientation of his opponents.
“And Russia very actively used artificial intelligence during these elections, creating entire websites and producing fake news, fake videos, saying that supposedly some people are already planning to create foreign bases in Armenia, that there are some NATO troops or NATO soldiers here,” Gerashchenko informs and adds that Kremlin propaganda is trying to intimidate Armenian society by repeating the events in Ukraine.
According to the People’s Deputy, in addition to digital technologies, the Russian Orthodox Church is being involved in influencing the electorate, which organizes special trips for voting by representatives of the diaspora.
According to polls, over 80% of citizens plan to go to the polls, but about 40% of voters have not yet decided on their preferences, which makes the outcome of the vote unpredictable. Despite the high voter turnout, the key confrontation is between supporters of integration with the European Union and forces seeking to maintain close economic dependence on Moscow, explains Iryna Gerashchenko.
As a reminder, Russia has intensified covert operations aimed at disrupting Armenia’s political course towards rapprochement with the West and influencing the country’s upcoming elections. These include disinformation campaigns, organizing vote-stealing schemes, and supporting pro-Russian candidates.
It should be noted that Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin recently had a phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, wishing him a happy birthday. At the same time, Moscow continues to increase economic pressure on Yerevan , introducing new restrictions on Armenian products.
In return, the European Union intends to provide Armenia with an economic support package worth 50 million euros amid restrictions from Russia and Yerevan’s deepening cooperation with European partners.
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