The Armenian government has announced that citizens arriving from Russia to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 7 will be subject to mandatory military training. Those who refuse to comply could face criminal charges, according to officials.
This statement was made by Taron Chakhoyan, Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, in a video posted on Facebook on June 3. He suggested that Russian authorities are facilitating the arrival of voters to support businessman Samvel Karapetyan and the leader of the ‘Strong Armenia’ party, who has lived in Kaluga, Russia.
“Armenian citizens arriving from Russia to vote for Samo from Kaluga will be summoned for 25 days of military training, and those who refuse will be held criminally liable,” Chakhoyan stated.
On June 2, Gevorg Papoyan, Armenia’s Minister of Economy and Deputy Head of the ruling ‘Civil Contract’ party, echoed similar sentiments. He expressed optimism about the arrival of these citizens, citing polls indicating that many would vote for their party. He mentioned that their participation in military training would be beneficial, as they could send 30,000 to 40,000 individuals for training before returning to Kaluga.
Reports from News.am on June 4 indicated that military police were checking men arriving at Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan and issuing them summonses for military training. The authorities confirmed their involvement in the registration of military conscripts and the mobilization of citizens for mandatory military service.
Reuters reported that Russian officials had discussed plans to send Armenian citizens living in Russia back to vote against the current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the elections.
The parliamentary elections in Armenia are set for June 7. In recent years, Armenia has been moving closer to the European Union, a shift that has drawn criticism from Russian authorities. Pashinyan’s pro-Western stance has been met with accusations from Russia and other members of the Eurasian Economic Union, who demand a referendum on Armenia’s potential EU membership.
In January 2025, the Armenian government approved a bill to initiate the process of joining the European Union. Pashinyan clarified that this legislation does not guarantee EU membership and emphasized the need for discussions with Brussels and a constitutional referendum.
On February 12, the Armenian parliament passed a bill to commence the EU accession process, followed by President Vahagn Khachaturyan signing the law on April 4.
The Armenian government is implementing military training for citizens arriving from Russia to vote in the June 7 elections, with potential criminal charges for non-compliance. This move coincides with growing tensions regarding Armenia's EU aspirations and the influence of Russian authorities in the electoral process.