YEREVAN. – Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan is attempting to mobilize a larger Armenian criminal and business circle in Russia for his political plans for 2018, according to Zhamanak (Times) newspaper.

The paper has learned that Ruben Tatulyan (a.k.a. Robso) and Artur Asatryan (a.k.a. Don Pipo), who are known in the criminal world, have been engaged in defending the PM’s interests in Russia.

“[But] we have learned that not all representatives of the Armenian community of Russia are ready to get involved in lobbying efforts in Karen Karapetyan’s favor. Among them are, in particular, chairman Ara Abrahamyan of the Union of Armenians of Russia, and Norik Tevanyan ([a.k.a.] Noro from Akhalkalaki), ‘leader’ of the [Armenian] people from Akhalkalaki [in Georgia],” wrote Zhamanak.