Attachments
In this Regional Overview
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Tensions on borders and streets persist
France: Far-right electoral gains prompt protests and attacks
Russia: Dagestan suffers its worst Islamist attack in a decade
Russia: War spillover reaches an all-time high
Ukraine: Russia presses ahead while targeting the power supply
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Tensions on borders and streets persist
Azerbaijan resumed allegations of gunfire toward its positions following the demarcation of a section of its northwestern border with Armenia. Between 12 and 16 June, Azerbaijan claimed seven ceasefire violations, all in the direction of the Nakhchivan exclave. Previous escalations around the exclave occurred in summer 2021 and 2023, the latter in the run-up to Azerbaijan’s takeover of Artsakh. Additionally, Azerbaijan claimed two instances of Armenian fire in the direction of its positions in Kalbajar region on its western border. Armenia refuted all claims and proposed to set up a joint body tasked with investigating alleged breaches of ceasefire.1 The sides exchanged peace treaty proposals, with Azerbaijan continuing to demand changes to Armenia’s constitution, which makes references to Artsakh.2 Armenia reiterated its willingness to conclude the treaty as soon as possible while striking a deal to procure French artillery.
Meanwhile, the number of demonstrations in Armenia against the handover of four border villages to Azerbaijan declined significantly. ACLED records a 70% decrease in related demonstrations compared with the average in April and May. However, one spate of demonstrations occurred in mid-June, led by Bagrat Galstanyan — a Tavush cleric currently running for prime minister. On 9 June, 15,000 demonstrators rallied and set up a tent camp in the capital city, Yerevan, demanding that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resign within 96 hours.4 On 12 June, the demonstrators closed in on the parliament building, where Pashinyan was holding a Q&A session. Police responded with stun grenades; as a result, over 100 people, including 18 police officers, were injured.5 Subsequently, Galstanyan’s supporters dismantled the tent camp as the opposition failed to secure a no-confidence vote.6 Sporadic protests by Galstanyan’s supporters continued until the end of June, mostly in Yerevan.