Armenia Foils Alleged Coup Plot Linked to Russia

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has launched a criminal case against a group attempting to orchestrate a coup, allegedly trained in Russia. Seven individuals, including five Armenian citizens and two former residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, were involved in the plot, which aimed to seize power through violence. The suspects reportedly recruited fellow Armenians by offering them approximately 220,000 rubles per month for training in Rostov-on-Don, where they underwent combat training and polygraph tests. Three suspects have been arrested, while four others are on the run, and the investigation continues to uncover potential accomplices in Russia. This incident unfolds against a backdrop of deteriorating Armenia-Russia relations, particularly after failures of Russian peacekeeping efforts in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has indicated a shift toward a pro-Western policy, further complicating ties with Moscow.