If there were no agreement between Armenia and Russia and the Russian military base in Armenia, a new military escalation would already be a fact. Second President Robert Kocharyan, the leader of the "Armenia" bloc that will run in the snap parliamentary elections on June 20, said this during Monday’s meeting in Agarak village of Syunik Province.

"It's a deterrent that works. But if we [Armenia] do not restore our capabilities... we cannot live with the psychology of a protectorate and demand respect for ourselves. There is no parasitism in security issues," Kocharyan added.

He stressed that Armenia should restore its "partner" status, restore its army with the help of Russia, and present value as a partner. "We were treated as the country with the most efficient army in the region. We have lost this status, and they look at us differently—no matter how much we try not to see it. The authorities have artificially deprived us of this status. It is difficult to estimate the extent of the loss. It is not only about the loss of weapons and equipment—[worth about] about 3 billion [US dollars]—, not to mention the loss of human life. The lost status is also estimated as about the same. If we do not restore our status, we will remain on our knees. And the one who lead the country to it, whose face embodies our defeat [i.e., acting PM Pashinyan], says, 'I will not abandon you. My stigma will remain on your foreheads.’ We ask you to leave us so that we can revive hope," Kocharyan said.