Withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Artsakh not a surprise, expert says
The withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is no surprise, says analyst Sergei Melkonian, a research fellow at the Applied Policy Research Institute (APRI).
"For me, the developments reconfirm the centuries-old pattern: without Armenian population, there is no Russian presence in the region, whether it is Kars, Erzurum and Trebizond or Nagorno-Karabakh,” he posted on Telegram on Thursday.
“Not only Armenia, but also Russia fail to learn the lessons of history. But Baku, Ankara and others have learned them well. For us, this indicates that the interests of other actors should not be overestimated and conspiracy theories should not be built around it.
“But another important thing is that after Armenia’s refusal to stand up in defense of Artsakh in 2023, no one else will. Now it is relevant with respect to the "enclaves"," the analyst penned.