Russia has been exploiting Armenia as a strategic conduit to sidestep international sanctions, using it to procure military components for its terroristic actions towards Ukraine. Despite public acknowledgment and criticism from various global analysts, media, and think tanks, there has been a notable lack of decisive action from the international community to address or penalize Armenia’s involvement in these sanction-evasion activities.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statements distancing Armenia from Moscow’s stance on Ukraine contrast starkly with the country’s role in supporting Russia’s military needs through the re-export of semiconductors and other dual-use goods. Armenia’s significant economic growth, partly attributed to a surge in exports to Russia—largely re-exports—highlights its crucial role in aiding Russia to circumvent sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union.
The increase in Armenia’s exports to Russia, including a 430% rise in exports relative to the period before the invasion of Ukraine, underscores the scale of Armenia’s involvement in facilitating Russia’s access to sanctioned goods. Despite warnings from the United States and efforts by other countries to adhere to sanctions, Armenia’s actions have effectively supported Russia’s military operations against Ukraine.
Armenia’s support in channeling sanctioned goods to Russia aids in the continuation of terroristic activities in Ukraine, highlighting the urgent need for stronger international measures to enforce sanctions. This situation exposes the limitations of current strategies in preventing assistance to Russia’s sanction evasion and stresses the necessity for a more effective global response.
