YEREVAN. – The current phase in Armenian-Russian relations can be characterized as Armenia’s occupation by Russia.

Political and International Studies Center analyst Ruben Mehrabyan told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

In Mehrabyan’s words, prior to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s September 3 statement on joining the Russia-led Customs Union, people were saying that Armenia had become a vassal of Russia. Now, however, these relations have taken on elements of occupation.   

The political scientist stressed that Armenia will not benefit at all from joining the Customs Union and, instead, it will face many difficulties.

“All four neighbors of Armenia seek rapprochement with Europe. Even Iran is achieving significant progress in the discourse with Europe,” he added. 

Against this backdrop, as per the analyst, Armenia declared its intention to join the Customs Union and, as a result, it became a regional tool in the hands of Russian policy.  

“This means that Armenia may start to be perceived by its neighbors as a source of threat,” Mehrabyan noted.

He added that Russia is attempting to apply pressure on Azerbaijan in terms of energy supply to Europe and, at the same time, Nagorno-Karabakh will become a pressure tool in the hands of official Moscow.

“In other words, our security has seriously been affected, since we have turned from a subject into an object,” Ruben Mehrabyan concluded.