On Wednesday, law enforcement announced the arrest of three individuals accused of attempting to form an armed faction to overthrow the Armenian government.
The Investigative Committee reported that these individuals, along with four others currently at large, had recruited people in Armenia and sent them to Russia for military training in preparation for an alleged coup.
According to the committee’s statement, the plot was thwarted after some recruits withdrew from the training and returned to Armenia from a military base in Russia named “Arbat.” There is no available information on such a base from public sources. However, “Arbat” is associated with a Russian militia comprised of ethnic Armenians who are reportedly involved in the conflict in Ukraine. The Investigative Committee did not confirm any connection between this militia and the alleged coup attempt.
The authorities have not disclosed the identities of those arrested or still sought.
Political allies of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan were quick to present the accusations as factual. Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the Armenian parliament’s defense and security committee, claimed that Armenia’s “internal and external enemies” are persistently seeking ways to regain power, including through “terrorism,” though he did not specify who these enemies are.
The authorities also claimed to have thwarted two other coup attempts in the past year. In September 2023, the National Security Service arrested Albert Bazeyan, a former prominent politician, and seven members of a group named Khachakirner (Crusaders). The raid led to the seizure of weapons, ammunition, and electronic jamming devices. Bazeyan was placed under house arrest in March and released last month, strongly denying the coup charges against him. It remains unclear whether he and the other suspects will face trial.
Additionally, five other men were arrested in November for their involvement in a separate armed group accused of plotting to seize government buildings and disrupt state operations. Details of this case have been scarce, but the suspects began their trial in July.
