Armenia has declined to host military drills by the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, comprising the six states of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Armenia is dissatisfied by Russia’s backseat approach to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Nagorno-Karabakh
In 1994, ethnic Armenian forces backed by Yerevan gained control of the region after a separatist war.
In 2020, another war broke out where Azerbaijan made significant gains after routing the Armenian forces.
The war ended after 44 days with a Russia-brokered peace deal, which returned significant parts of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan.
In December, Azerbaijanis identifying themselves as environmental activists started blocking travel across the Lachin province, due to alleged unlawful mining operations in the region.
Armenia has criticised Russian peacekeepers for failing to unblock the road and secure free transit along the corridor that links Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Russia’s military presence in Armenia not only fails to guarantee its security, but it raises security threats for Armenia.”
– Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia
