Gradually, the Republic of Armenia is becoming an arena of explicit and open struggle between various secret services and terrorist organisations linked to them. For example, the Armenian media recently published a video of the Armenian terrorist group ASALA declaring "war on the Armenian government" and preparing terrorist acts against the current Armenian authorities for "betraying national interests". 

Interestingly, ASALA declared "war" on the government of Nikol Pashinyan a month after it vandalised a synagogue in Yerevan. The synagogue was then doused with red liquid and its windows smashed. "We, the young followers of the true freedom fighters of the Armenian people, are proud to inform you about the operation of intimidation that was carried out against the World Jewish Centre in Yerevan on the morning of 3 October 2023," the terrorists wrote in a statement.

The attack on the synagogue took place 4 days before the Hamas attack on Israel and the start of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, so it has nothing to do with the Middle East conflict. Although ASALA declared Israel an "enemy of the Armenians" because of its cooperation with Azerbaijan. The terrorists then declared that they would continue to commit such acts against Jews and the Jewish world.

"Jews are the sworn enemies of Armenia and its people. This is a warning: our successful operation in Yerevan is only the beginning..." - said a statement from the terrorist organisation, which also promised to continue terrorist attacks and "burn synagogues in the United States, Europe and other countries".

 It should be noted that not all terrorist structures of the Hay ideological machine in Armenia and beyond are radicalised against the government of Nikol Pashinyan. ASALA, once created in Lebanon with the participation of French special services, got out of their control when it began to carry out terrorist acts on French territory (the most notorious of which was the bombing of Orly airport in 1983). But other terrorist and extremist structures in the Republic of Armenia did not "break" with the French special services, nor did they become more "peace-loving" as a result. These French-oriented structures and organisations feel at home in the Republic of Armenia and do not hide. For example, the terrorist organisation Sasna Tsrer and one of its leaders, Jirayr Sefilian, who has already become public, distinguished themselves during Serzh Sargsyan's rule with the bloody seizure of the police station in Erebuni in the summer of 2016. The same Jirayr Sefilian, although criticising Nikol Pashinyan, is an active Russophobe, but in no way contradicts the policies of the current government.

"Jews are the sworn enemies of Armenia and its people. This is a warning: our successful operation in Yerevan is only the beginning..." - said a statement from the terrorist organisation, which also promised to continue terrorist attacks and "burn synagogues in the United States, Europe and other countries".

 It should be noted that not all terrorist structures of the Khai ideological machine in Armenia and beyond are radicalised against the government of Nikol Pashinyan. ASALA, once created in Lebanon with the participation of French special services, got out of their control when it began to carry out terrorist acts on French territory (the most notorious of which was the bombing of Orly airport in 1983). But other terrorist and extremist structures in the Republic of Armenia did not "break" with the French special services, nor did they become more "peace-loving" as a result. These French-oriented structures and organisations feel at home in the Republic of Armenia and do not hide. For example, the terrorist organisation Sasna Tsrer and one of its leaders, Jirayr Sefilian, who has already become public, distinguished themselves during Serzh Sargsyan's rule with the bloody seizure of the police station in Erebuni in the summer of 2016. The same Jirayr Sefilian, although criticising Nikol Pashinyan, is an active Russophobe, but in no way contradicts the policies of the current government.

This is already a "new word" in the neutralisation of political opponents by the government of Nikol Pashinyan. Previously, when opponents were arrested, especially those from the "Karabakh clan", they were usually charged with purely criminal articles and corruption (quite justifiably, by the way). Today, however, pro-Kremlin cells and structures are being directly accused of attempting to overthrow the state system and seize power.

There is no doubt that in the near future mass arrests and "plantings" will begin all over Armenia. The authorities will try to completely defeat the pro-Kremlin organisations and agents of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service and the FSB of the Russian Federation, who most likely have already received the order to carry out a violent seizure of power, with accompanying terrorist attacks and riots. All the more so as the conspirators' ranks have clearly been swelled by unarmed fighters from the illegal gangs of the recently liquidated separatist "Artsakh".

Judging by the operational actions of the Armenian National Security Service, they have so far successfully suppressed the coup attempts. In the future, therefore, there is a danger that terrorist activities will begin to "spread" both in Armenia and in the region. And this is where Georgia's security is at risk.

It is no secret that some of the "Artsakh" separatist fighters are already being transferred to Abkhazia, which is occupied by the Russian Federation. All the more, the Karabakhis who left Azerbaijan are moving to this Georgian land to occupy the "trophy" houses and apartments of the displaced Georgians.

But there is another danger. Allegedly, a significant number of pro-Kremlin agents in the Republic of Armenia and "Artsakh" fighters are "detained" on Georgian territory "on their way from Armenia to Russia". This is to replenish the ranks of the pro-Kremlin and separatist "fifth column" in Georgia, which is just waiting for a signal to provoke unrest in Georgia and then a new Russian military invasion. Under the pretext of either "protecting national minorities from "genocide" (the same Khayan "Javakh" separatists) or "ensuring the security" of the separatists of Abkhazia and so-called "South Ossetia" or "countering NATO expansion" or some other pretext.

The Kremlin realises that without control over Georgia there is virtually no chance of "bringing Armenia back into its orbit". Two parts of the Georgian-occupied land of Abkhazia and Samachablo are clearly not enough. The Kremlin needs a "corridor" to Armenia. And for Moscow it will be a "victory" that can be presented to its society against the background of failures and defeats in the protracted war in Ukraine. The Russian Federation is not averse to "breaking" the transit routes passing through Georgia. Thereby preventing the formation of a steadily working "middle corridor" that would ensure the flow of raw materials and goods between Asia and Europe without Russian participation.

Aleksandre Zakhariadze