Author: Ara Felekian

Ukrainian Defense Intelligence has accused Georgia, as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan of negotiating with Moscow over the reexport of Russian products to international markets.

“The supply is planned to be made in the form of Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani products and export them to third countries,” the Defense Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said on May 1.

It asserted that more than 200 companies have already been established in the South Caucasian countries.

The Ukrainian defense intelligence further stated that Armenia creates favorable conditions for Russian companies to do business, especially in the IT sphere.

“Since the beginning of Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine, some 85,000 Russian citizens and 113 IT companies came to Armenia,” it noted.

“Russian citizens created nearly a thousand private enterprises and about 250 limited liability companies on the territory of Armenia, which pay taxes to the budgets of both countries — Armenia and Russia.”

Earlier in April, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Intelligence alleged that Moscow was establishing a channel for smuggling through the Georgian territory, an accusation denied by the Georgian authorities. It said Georgia’s political leadership instructed security services not to interfere with the activities of Russian smugglers.

• Tbilisi Denies Ukraine’s Claims Over Aiding Russian Smuggling
• Georgian Dream Accuses Ukraine Officials of Hybrid War
• Tbilisi: Ukrainian Chargé Unable to Back Up Smuggling Claims

The State Security Service of Georgia then urged Ukraine to “immediately relay evidence” on its claim, warning that the failure to do so “will be considered premeditated disinformation.”

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili also rebuffed Kyiv’s allegations, saying “Georgia will never allow the transit of sanctioned goods.”

But the Georgian Government has reiterated since the early days of the war that Tbilisi would not impose bilateral sanctions against Moscow, hit by massive international sanctions.

Ukraine’s renewed accusation comes amid already strained relations between Tbilisi and Kyiv, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recalled Ambassador from Georgia over the “immoral position” of Garibashvili’s cabinet on “not joining” sanctions and for barring Georgian volunteers from flying to Ukraine. 

Amid growing criticism from Kyiv, Georgian Dream leadership has repeatedly claimed that former United National Movement officials “occupying some quite high positions in Ukraine” are influencing the decisions of the Ukrainian authorities.

A torchlight procession—on the eve of the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide—is taking place also in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) at the moment, in the capital Stepanakert.

The torchlight procession in Artsakh started from the yard of St. Hakob Church in Stepanakert, the torchlight procession is being led by the clergy who are carrying a large cross and the national flag of Artsakh.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, as well as former presidents Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan are also taking part in this torchlight procession.

As reported earlier, a similar torchlight procession is being held in Armenia’s capital Yerevan as well. Thousands of people, including second and third Presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, are participating in this torchlight procession.

Los Angeles County is home to the largest population of Armenian-Americans in the United States, with an estimated 214,628 living in the county, according to the 2011 American Community Survey.

To honor the county’s Armenian residents and their culture, the Board of Supervisors last month proclaimed April as “Armenian History Month” — and, this week, also passed a motion declaring April 24 as “Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day in Los Angeles County.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom has also issued a proclamation declaring April 24, 2022 “A Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide” in the State of California.

“As we remember the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide, we also honor the strength and resilience of the Armenian people,” the proclamation said, in part. “Forced to build new lives in all corners of the globe, Armenians bravely forged ahead in the face of unimaginable tragedy. Thousands made their homes in California, and we are greater for their contributions.”

April 24 is also observed throughout the Armenian diaspora and is a holiday in Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh.

In Los Angeles, at 3 p.m. Sunday, the Armenian Youth Federation will hold a protest outside the Turkish Consulate at 8500 Wilshire Blvd. to demand the Turkish government acknowledge the genocide and stop its support of Azerbaijan in the Artsakh, a region fought over by Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Armenian Genocide began in 1915 and resulted in the deaths of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in a campaign blamed on Turkey’s Ottoman government. While the genocide has been chronicled by historians, who often view it as ethnic cleansing, Turkey has denied it occurred, saying the deaths of Armenians was a function of the chaos of World War I, which also claimed Turkish lives.

Until President Joe Biden in 2021 officially called the killings a genocide, American presidents had also declined to do so, instead classifying the deaths at the hands of the Ottoman Empire an atrocity, but not a genocide.

This week’s Remembrance Day motion by the L.A. County Supervisors — co-introduced by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Hilda Solis — said, in part, “Despite overwhelming evidence, the Turkish government still denies the occurrence of an Armenian Genocide. Many international and American leaders and elected officials from local, state, and federal governments have condemned the atrocities committed against the Armenians and are calling on Turkey to acknowledge the genocide and its participation in it.”

The motion went on to say, “On April 24, 2021, President Joe Biden officially recognized the Armenia Genocide. That was a huge victory for the diaspora and the result of decades of tireless efforts to have the highest level of our government call this genocide by its name.”

Said Barger, who represents Pasadena: “The month of April and the celebration of Armenian culture culminates in our Day of Remembrance, a day to mourn and remember the loss of over 1.5 million innocent lives. I am heartened that my Armenian constituents are a resilient people — determined, focused and dedicated to persevering.”

Last year, following Biden’s declaration, Rep. Adam Schiff — whose district includes sections of West Pasadena and Glendale — said, “For Armenian-Americans and everyone who believes in human rights and the truth, today marks an historic milestone: President Biden has defied Turkish threats and recognized the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians for what it was — the first genocide of the 20th century. In so doing, he has cast aside decades of shameful silence and half-truths, and the broken promises of so many of his predecessors, and spoken truth to power.”