Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu warned that any Armenian move to replace Russia’s role in managing the country’s railways would be a “crude” gamble that could leave the system vulnerable to sudden failure. Speaking to TASS, Shoigu argued that no alternative operator is likely to fully substitute for the Russian rail carrier that has run Armenia’s network “effectively” for years despite difficult conditions, and he framed Yerevan’s recent signals as part of a broader pattern of what he called “unworked decisions.” In that context, he pointed to Armenia’s expanding cooperation with the United States in the nuclear sphere and questioned whether such “dangerous experiments” could end up being paid for by ordinary citizens.
Armenia’s railway network has been under Russian concession management since 2008, under a 30-year agreement that includes an option to extend for another 10 years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said he wants a country friendly to both Armenia and Russia to purchase the right to manage the railways from the Russian side. He has also pressed Moscow on restoring two sections—Yeraskh and Akhurik—raising the issue with President Vladimir Putin late last year and later stating that Armenia is prepared to fund the restoration itself if the work is not carried out in time. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, for his part, said Russia responded positively to Pashinyan’s proposal and is ready to begin substantive negotiations with Yerevan on restoring the Yeraskh and Akhurik segments.
