Publications

Democracy Watch

Academic Freedom in Armenia at Risk? The Case of Edita Gzoyan

By Tigran Grigoryan On March 11, Edita Gzoyan, Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI), submitted her resignation and was dismissed from her position. Media reports about the possible reasons for her resignation appeared immediately and were confirmed two days later by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan himself. During a briefing on March 13, Pashinyan confirmed […]

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Articles

Communication as a Security Tool: The UAE Response to Crisis

On February 28, following the failure of the US–Iran nuclear negotiations, the situation escalated as anticipated, turning into joint US–Israeli military operations on Iranian territory. This attack was followed by Iran’s bombardment of neighboring countries hosting American military bases, installations, and naval forces. Among the targeted countries is also the United Arab Emirates. Alongside military […]

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Democracy Watch

Foreign interference is real, but not Armenia’s only election risk

By Tigran Grigoryan #DemocracyWatch – Three months remain before Armenia’s parliamentary elections, and discussions in the country are increasingly dominated by the topic of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). Practically all efforts by Armenia’s international partners are now focused on assisting the country in countering hybrid threats stemming from external actors, predominantly Russia. Nearly […]

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Publications

The Iran-US-Israel Conflict: War Dynamics and Consequences for Armenia

The military actions that began on the morning of February 28, 2026, have become the most large-scale direct confrontation between Iran and its adversaries—the United States and Israel. Initial US/Israeli air and missile strikes against targets inside Iran triggered a retaliatory response from Tehran. Despite the significant scale of the strikes, the conflict currently remains […]

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Publications

RCDS Analytical Brief: Strategic Implications of the Iran Crisis for Armenia

The ongoing war around Iran represents a systemic challenge to the regional balance and carries significant implications for Armenia’s security, economy, and logistical connectivity. Iran plays an important role in Armenia’s external economic relations: key trade routes linking Armenia with the markets of the Persian Gulf and Asia pass through Iranian territory. Iran is also […]

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Publications

The Emigration of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians Undermines Armenia’s Demographic Stability

As of February 1, 2025, the number of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians who have left Armenia and not yet returned stands at 15,000 people. The total number of forcibly displaced Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians is 150,000. This figure represents residents who left Nagorno‑Karabakh as a result of the 2020 war and the ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan in […]

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Publications

From Blitz to Attrition: The Evolution of the Russia–Ukraine War

Four years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. During this time, the conflict has gone through several phases—from the advance of mechanized columns and maneuver offensives to a prolonged positional struggle and a stage of systemic attrition. The war has taken on a character in which not […]

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Publications

rewriting the constitution for narrow aims contradicts democracy

By Tigran Grigoryan On February 12, at the congress of the newly established Strong Armenia party, it was announced that the political force’s candidate for prime minister would be Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan. The main issue with this decision is that, under the Constitution of Armenia, only individuals who have been solely citizens of the […]

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Publications

The Rule of Law or Rule by Law? Armenia’s Deepening Church Crisis

By Tigran Grigoryan On February 14, a criminal case was initiated against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. The case centers on allegations of obstructing the enforcement of a court decision to temporarily reinstate Arman (Gevorg) Saroyan as Primate of the Massyatsotn (Masis) Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. On January 10, Catholicos Karekin II […]

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