Dossier Center reported that Moscow decided not to focus on a single candidate in Armenia’s parliamentary elections. According to the investigation, political consultants and strategists linked to Russia attempted to support several political forces that could prove useful to Moscow after the elections.
The report states that Dossier obtained and analyzed internal documents of Russian political consultants allegedly “supporting” Armenian candidates. The materials reportedly aimed to weaken Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his foreign policy course, while preparing a coalition for the post-election period.
The article says Russian strategists considered businessman Samvel Karapetyan the preferred candidate, portraying him as an “Armenian Ivanishvili” who could create a new “third force” detached from both the former authorities and the current government.
According to the documents, Russian analysts had begun discussing the creation of a new pro-Russian political force in Armenia as early as 2023, suggesting cooperation with Russian-Armenian oligarchs capable of influencing the country’s political environment.
The report also claims Russian consultants proposed strengthening the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian diaspora, especially communities in Russia, the United States and France, while reducing government influence over the information sphere.
According to the investigation, plans included creating a media center coordinating opposition resources and protest activity directed against Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan.
The publication further claims that documents tied to Russia’s presidential administration outlined a campaign strategy for Karapetyan, including launching media projects, creating a legal defense committee after his arrest and announcing a new political movement in August 2025.
The report says another potential candidate considered by Russian strategists was former ombudsman Arman Tatoyan. Internal analyses allegedly described Tatoyan as a politician with high public recognition, low negative ratings and a reputation tied to human rights advocacy.
According to the materials, Russian political consultants aimed to raise Tatoyan’s support to 10 percent by March 2026, though internal polling later reportedly placed him at 7.8 percent.
The documents also allegedly considered a post-election alliance between Karapetyan and Tatoyan, describing their political agendas as complementary. Karapetyan was portrayed as responsible for geopolitical and resource-related issues, while Tatoyan would focus on institutional reforms appealing to moderate voters.
The report states Russian strategists believed such a coalition could form an anti-Pashinyan majority while avoiding the negative associations linked to former President Robert Kocharyan and the “old opposition.”
According to the investigation, polling data from the “Armenian Election Study” indicated that Pashinyan’s approval rating reached 49 percent in May 2026, while the ruling Civil Contract party retained a significant lead over competitors. Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party was reportedly the only opposition force capable of crossing the electoral threshold.
The publication concluded that many of the media and political strategies allegedly developed by Russian consultants were never fully implemented and failed to significantly improve the standing of their preferred candidates.
