BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 14. Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian billionaire of Armenian origin, has returned to Karabakh, Armenian media says. Just a week ago, news has been circulating about Vardanyan leaving Khankendi for Russia to meet with Russian officials and seek support for the separatists.
Vardanyan, smuggled out of Karabakh in a truck belonging to Russian peacekeepers, was taken to Moscow on February 6 to receive new instructions. As Armenians say, Vardanyan almost begged for staying in Moscow, saying that he was exhausted, could not continue his activities according to the assigned tasks, and even feared that various groups in Khankendi may be plotting to kill him. Despite this, he was sent back.
Sources in Moscow claim that the "Vardanyan vs Pashinyan" story is scripted from top to bottom, there's no confrontation. As for the media showing as if there is - it's all controlled for the sake of creating the needed image. In terms of provoking Azerbaijan, Vardanyan and Pashinyan act the same, although with different goals and interests.
Pashinyan benefits from this situation, as it helps him to create an anti-Russian image in the West. The alleged “feud” with Vardanyan, helps him earn extra points in Brussels and Paris. In fact, they are side by side in this, organized specifically for the countries of the West.
The return of Vardanyan to Karabakh will definitely aggravate the situation, because the Azerbaijani protesters on the Lachin-Khankendi road are not going to stop and leave until their demands are met.
At the same time, the so-called “president” of the Armenian separatists Araik Arutyunyan, who has also visited Moscow before Vardanyan, came back with new assignments, such as “constitutional changes”.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan closely follows all these cheap circus acts.