Expert: South Caucasus is part of Russia`s national interests, and  Moscow at Yerevan`s side

ArmInfo.Russia perceives Armenia as an ally and a sovereign state. A similar opinion was expressed by Alexey Tokarev , Senior Research Fellow at the Institute  of International Studies of the MGIMO University, Candidate of  Political Sciences in Yerevan at the conference: "Diplomacy - Alpha:  Challenges of the Present and the Vision of the Future".

The expert wondered why Russian troops should stand between two  nations that hate each other and risk their lives?

<What is more important for you as a national community - real deeds,  real lives of my Tula and Ryazan guys or some paper, for you-  national community and political class? Why are you declaiming agains  the presence of our guys in Karabakh? Probably, they are there, since  the South Caucasus is part of the national interests of Russia>, the  expert admitted

At the same time, he expressed his conviction that if in the autumn  of 2020 the Russian President had not agreed with the President of  Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia, and if a tripartite  declaration had not been signed, then today then there simply would  not be Stepanakert today in its current form and most likely what  remains of Nagorno-Karabakh.  He spoke about how they fought at one  of the international platforms for the establishment of a Russian  post of peacekeepers near the Dadivavank monastery complex, on the  territory of Karvachar, which had come under Azerbaijani control.  Tokarev also acknowledged that in the current situation, Russia is  certainly losing in the information war. "But, at the same time, no  one is interested in the price of gas, nor the immigrants who have  provided economic growth in Armenia. I just want to convey that there  is a level of statements - a diplomatic layer, and in this sense, the  leadership of Armenia wants an absolutely clear, tough, definite  position of the CSTO, and for Russia to voice its position. And  somehow it is ignored that the CSTO is an organization in which there  are still countries that have other interests>, the expert noted.

At the same time, Tokarev stated that the Russian servicemen on the  ground  are absolutely not worried about the enmity of Armenians and  Azerbaijanis, since this is a war of Armenians and Azerbaijanis.  <But, they are here, because these are the national interests of  Russia, and will stay. Therefore, be guided not only by the  information point of view, but by the reality in which the huge  national identity of Karabakh is preserved, simply by the fact that  my compatriots are there. And simply because Russia sincerely  perceives Armenia as an ally, despite all the problems that exist in  relations. We have a lot of problems, but this is not a reason to  break the union - for sure on our part>, Tokarev stressed.

Concluding, he emphasized that Armenia is a sovereign state, and in  Russia they do not perceive it as an annex, a younger brother, as a  country that should be left, a narrative pushed by the West. < Please  separate reality from empty words. it is very important. We are at  your side," he concluded.