Armenia and Azerbaijan Believe Russia Cannot Engage in the South Caucasus: Koleroff

Armenia and Azerbaijan seem to think that Russia cannot engage in the South Caucasus. Perhaps. This was stated by Russian historian Modest Koleroff in an interview with a News.am correspondent.

“Yerevan and Baku have come to the conclusion that Russia does not have the time for Nagorno-Karabakh, and the rejection of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia is a result of this belief. The decision regarding Nagorno-Karabakh was made many years ago by Pashinyan, not in favor of Nagorno-Karabakh,” he is confident.

At the same time, Koleroff added that Russia cannot do anything now, when the mandate of the peacekeepers has already been determined. According to him, the only scenario for salvation is the extension of the peacekeepers' presence, resolving communication issues, and addressing the future rights of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

With all the external official courtesy and correctness in bilateral relations with Moscow, Baku, as the historian noted, has a hostile attitude towards Russia's actions in Ukraine. “Baku views the events in Ukraine as a pretext to damage Russia and push it out of the region. Yerevan also does this, but Baku has the opportunity to help Kyiv and is doing so,” he explained.

He believes that a change of power in Turkey will not alter that country's foreign policy, but Erdogan's victory is more beneficial for Russia.