Author: Jack Hunanian

Opposition MP: It seems that Pashinyan and his team rejected EU-Armenia deal

Jack Hunanian
Panorama
Armenia – June 15 2022

Nikol Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party have seemingly rejected the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the European Union and Armenia, considering it a legacy of the former authorities, Taguhi Tovmasyan, a lawmaker from the opposition Pativ Unem bloc, said on Wednesday.

The MP, who heads the National Assembly Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, recently met with Michele Dinelli, the project manager, and the experts of the program on support to Armenia’s Ministry of Justice in the legal approximation process within the framework of the CEPA.

“I considered it laudable that the EU is actively discussing the issue of the implementation of the agreement, takes steps to bring it to life, as it is very essential for Armenia,” she said in a statement.

“The agreement was signed in November 2017, and it has become dusty on the shelves for years. It seems that the current authority, rejecting the former ones, also rejected the mentioned international agreement signed before the revolution. Under this agreement the new laws must be developed in compliance with the requirements of the agreement, while, as I mentioned in the meeting, today laws not following from the principles of the agreement are adopted. Draft law on criminalizing grave insult may appear as an example.

“The agreement also clearly states that the parties adopt that the regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be based on the principles and goals enshrined in the UN Charter and the OSCE Helsinki Final Act, particularly, refraining from the threat or use of force, the territorial integrity of states and the principles of equal rights and self-determination of nations also taking into account the EU's commitment to support the regulation process. And we have lost this way ourselves for a long time.

“I would like to add that it is necessary not to conform CEPA with the situation in Armenia, but to try to conform the current situation in Armenia with the principles of democracy, that is necessary not to try to adapt to the Armenian reality, but to lead Armenia to democratization.

"Michele Dinelli thanked for the reception and noted that the goal of the CEPA program is to assist the Government of Armenia in implementing law approximation actions. In the project manager’s words, the Government of Armenia has pledged itself to carry out the requirements provided by the agreement.

“I expressed my willingness to try every possible means to support the process of the implementation of the agreement within the frames of my authority,” reads the statement.

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2022/06/15/Opposition-MP-CEPA/2695499

A South Caucasus alliance or friendship with ‘big countries’ – a choice for Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia

Jack Hunanian



  • Iraj Iskenderov

Countries of the South Caucasus

Among all the terrible news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one, oddly enough, made me jealous. It was a BBC report about Baltic countries preparing for a military conflict with Russia.

When looking at Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia from the South Caucasus, the contrast becomes even more apparent. These three countries have united in the face of the Russian threat. In the meantime, the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the blessing of the majority of their respective peoples, would be happy to finish each other off while Russia is distracted by Ukraine.

In times of crisis, such as now, it has become especially clear how vulnerable the South Caucasian region is – precisely because of its disunity and conflicts. In particular, it is vulnerable to the Russian Federation, which very skillfully uses our contradictions, stubbornness and complexes for its own purposes.

Will Russia remain the main mediator in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, or will Turkey take its place?

Today it is obvious that the restrained position of the states of the South Caucasus on Ukraine is directly related to their economic and political dependence on Russia.

Georgia stands apart in this respect – it has its own history with Russia. And in the case of Armenia and Azerbaijan, everything rests on the Karabakh conflict. Without it, Russia (meaning Putin) would lose its main lever of pressure not only on both our countries but also on the region as a whole. The results of the second Karabakh war, which were supposed to put an end to this, in fact, did not change anything.

The South Caucasus is located at the intersection of the zone of interests of too many major geopolitical players: in addition to the US and Russia, it is also Turkey. And each of them is trying to pull over the blanket of the state course and public mood in our countries.

Can this completely remove responsibility from governments and societies themselves? Or do we just need to admit our own immaturity and inability to have a mind of our own?

Why did 30 years of Minsk Group’s monopoly on negotiations end and what to expect next?

Another important question is how ready are the societies themselves for the unification of the region if such an opportunity arises? To what extent are they able to refuse to sacralize their historical wounds and stop arguing about who is ‘cooler’ and who lived here longer? 

To what extent would the inhabitants of the three countries of the region be able to push their national ideas into the background and instead discuss the prospects for joint development – both economic and political?

Before the arrival of the Red Army in the Caucasus, there was a utopian territorial alliance: at first, it was the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. When Sovietization had already begun, its analog was created: the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic.

Will Armenians and Azerbaijanis be able to live together and treat each other as equals, or will they remain enemies, trying to solve the conflict by force?

No, I do not mean that our countries could unite into another federation. I’m talking about allied relations of independent republics.

I had an Italian acquaintance who thought that the complete independence of small states was unnatural: they had to stick to big powers in order to survive. I jokingly called it his ‘Roman-Imperial manners’.

However, probably, small states from the same region (even though, with a population of 10 million, Azerbaijan can hardly be called small) should stick together in order to maintain their real, and not formal, independence from the major powers.

Trajectories is a media project that tells stories of people whose lives have been impacted by conflicts in the South Caucasus. We work with authors and editors from across the South Caucasus and do not support any one side in any conflict. The publications on this page are solely the responsibility of the authors. In the majority of cases, toponyms are those used in the author’s society. The project is implemented by GoGroup Media and International Alert and is funded by the European Union

https://jam-news.net/a-south-caucasus-alliance-or-friendship-with-big-countries-a-choice-for-azerbaijan-armenia-and-georgia/

Armenia Finance Minister introduces 2021 state budget performance report to Parliament

Jack Hunanian

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 11:44,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The 2021 state budget revenues increased in Armenia connected with the economy recovery and the growth in tax revenues as a result of it, Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan said while introducing the 2021 state budget performance annual report in the Parliament.

He reminded that the annual economic growth, which was initially planned to be 3.2%, comprised 5.7%. “The economic growth was mostly connected with the growth in services, which have formed the 4 percentage point. Half of the growth has been ensured by accommodation and catering services. The impact of the industry growth has been 0.8%”, the minister said.

However, the cut in agriculture negatively affected the economic growth, as the overall growth figure has been cut by 0.2%.

“In 2021 the state budget revenues of Armenia increased connected with the recovery of the economy and the growth in tax revenues as a result. The total revenues of the budget comprised 1 trillion 683,8 billion drams, increasing 7.9% compared to the previous year, the revenue performance to the adjusted program comprised 99.6%. 94.2% of the revenues has been formed by tax revenues – 1 trillion 587 billion drams, which is the 22.7% of the GDP of 2021”, he said.

The taxes increased by 14.6% compared to the same period of the previous year. The budget’s tax revenue plan has been fulfilled by 100.2%.

The taxes-GDP rate increased by 0.3%, reaching 22.7%.

As for the capital expenditures, the performance has registered the highest growth compared to the past year – 92.5%. Compared to 2020, the current expenditures have increased by nearly 120 billion drams or 7.2%.

With the results of 2021, the government debt to GDP comprised 60.3%, which has improved by 3.2% compared to the previous year.

Newspaper: What tactics has Armenia opposition developed?

Jack Hunanian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
10:04, 14.06.2022

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: [Ex-President] Serzh Sargsyan's statement the other day has increased the interest in today's [opposition] rally [in downtown Yerevan].

On June 14, [opposition Resistance Movement coordinator] Ishkhan Saghatelyan [the National Assembly deputy speaker from the opposition "Armenia" Faction and a representative of the Supreme Body of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party of Armenia] will not only sum up what has been done or not done [by this movement] in the past nearly two months, but will also announce the tactics to continue the series of rallies with longer intervals. Earlier, the agreement was reached at one interval per week.

Tent protests will also be discussed; they will probably urge to remove the tents from France Square [in downtown Yerevan], proposing to continue the struggle in other ways.

[Opposition MP] Agnesa Khamoyan conveyed to us: "Wait for Ishkhan Saghatelyan's speech on the future tactics and future steps of the [Resistance] Movement."

Azerbaijani Press: Zangazur Corridor: Armenia’s extraterritoriality angst, two platforms, three neighbours

Jack Hunanian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 8 2022

By Orkhan Amashov

In defeat and partial, however superficial, renunciation of its grandiose ambitions, Armenia has gained a valuable chance to reshape its selfhood. Despite some half-hearted meanderings aimed at self-analysis, within the year and a half that has elapsed since the 10 November ceasefire deal, Yerevan has achieved absolutely nothing in the department of "soul-cleansing". What is now clear is that the vanquished nation has stumbled upon the thorny path of maladjustment, somewhat rendering itself irreconcilably at odds with its own self-interest.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have yet to forge a common understanding on how to proceed in relation to what is either called the Zangazur Corridor or the Nakhichevan route – viewed as the central segment of the post-conflict connectivity agenda by Baku.

Yerevan accepts that Azerbaijan should have access to Nakhchivan via the Syunik Province, but it remains worried that if Article 9 of the ceasefire agreement is implemented and the Border Guard Service of the Russian Federal Security Service is responsible for overseeing the transport connection, Armenia’s de facto sovereignty over its own territory will be curbed.

This is the essence of Yerevan’s extraterritoriality angst. Feigned, semi-genuine, or half-cultivated, it appears to constitute a major stumbling block on the way to implementing Article 9 of the 10 November deal.

Two platforms

The cumulative impact of the recent developments under the aegis of the EU and Russia, namely the third trilateral convocation mediated by Brussels and the 3 June meeting of the trilateral commission on the unblocking of communications in Moscow, has reinforced, albeit undramatically and with some reservations, the centrality of the overland passage connecting western Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan within the larger connectivity agenda.

The 22 May post-meeting statement of European Commission President Charles Michel touched upon the "principles governing" the route commensurate with the geographical reality of the Zangazur Corridor. On 31 May, the spokesperson for the EC President issued a written document, specifying that "no extraterritorial claims with regard to future transport infrastructure exists", and "any speculation to the contrary is regrettable''.

On 3 June, the tenth meeting of the trilateral commission on the opening of regional transport communications took place, and a whole range of issues, falling within the scope of connectivity, including "possible routes for a highway linking mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave", were discussed.

For Armenia, if denuded of its “corridor part”, the project is acceptable and potentially appreciable. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan reiterated there was a common perception that “all transportation infrastructure and roads to be unblocked must operate under the sovereignty and legislation of those countries through which they pass”.

Whilst Armenia continues to flaunt its misgivings, Baku, both on a rhetorical and practical level, must act decisively. Azerbaijan expects the Horadiz-Agband railway segment of the Zangazur project to be fully operational next year. Despite this, there is no indication that Yerevan has taken any steps towards building the 43-km segment running through its southern portion.

Three Big

In addition to the aforementioned two platforms dealing with the full spectrum of the Azerbaijani-Armenian interstate normalisation, the individual lines maintained by three big neighbours of the South Caucasus – Turkey, Russia, and Iran – are unquestionably of significance.

Ankara fully backs Baku and has a strong interest in achieving unrestricted access to Azerbaijan via Armenia. The current transit route via Georgia, which allows Turkey to connect both with its first-rate ally and the Caspian Sea, is good, yet it is undeniably true that a new link via Nakhchivan will be faster and traverse lowland topography, rendering it far more attractive and efficient.

Russia’s position is unique, as it also a mediator within the trilateral format originated in the ceasefire agreement. On the whole, the Kremlin is interested in reconnecting with Armenia via Azerbaijan, thereby avoiding Georgia, and Article 9 means it will have an element of control over the proposed route.

Iran, however, begs to differ. The fear preying on the minds of those in Tehran is that a new link will undermine its access to fraternal Armenia, as the implementation of the letter and spirit of Article 9, will amount to a “change of borders”.

This concern was pacified, to some degree, in March of this year, when Azerbaijan and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding envisaging the establishment of a new communications route connecting the East Zangazur Economic Region with Nakhchivan, via Iran.

However, first things first. Both Baku and Yerevan have to move on. Many in Armenia are acutely conscious of the insipid vacuity of staying enmeshed in a lugubrious imbroglio. Deaf and blind to reason, the revenge-driven opposition prefers running amok and going berserk. Pashinyan's government is not aimless, but impotent in achieving its objectives. Baku is unmoved and resolute, but there are constraints within which its vim and vigour could operate.

The resident of Berdzor, lost on the Azerbaijani side, was returned through the mediation of peacekeepers

Jack Hunanian

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 19:39, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. The 69-year-old resident of Berdzor, lost on the Azerbaijani side, was returned to the Armenian side through the mediation of peacekeepers, ARMENPRESS reports the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Artsakh Republic informed.

In particular, the statement says that on June 1, the police received a report of the disappearance of a 69-year-old resident of Berdzor.

As a result of the joint search operations carried out by the Kashatagh Regional Police Department and the staff of the Russian peacekeeping mission, it turned out that the latter got lost and appeared on the Azerbaijani side.

As a result of the negotiations mediated by the peacekeepers, on June 9, at around 12:00, the citizen of Artsakh was handed over to the officers of the Kashatagh regional police department. The circumstances are being clarified.

Top U.S. diplomat meets opposition MPs in Armenia

Jack Hunanian
PanARMENIAN
Armenia –
– 13:09 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Kara C. McDonald on Thursday, June 9 met with opposition lawmakers in Armenia to discuss the situation in the domestic political situation, as well as the spheres of judiciary, law enforcement, press and freedom of speech in the country.

Lawmakers from Armenia bloc Aram Vardevanyan, Anna Grigoryan, Gegham Manukyan, as well as MP from the "I have honor" bloc, Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Taguhi Tovmasyan participated in the meeting initiated by the American side, Armenia bloc said in a statement.

The bloc said "violence perpetrated by the law enforcement agencies during the peaceful demonstrations", and all the violations that have been registered in the judiciary in recent years in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms were on the table.

"A reference was made to the pressure on the press, the government's steps to limit the activities of the media through numerous legislative changes," the statement added.

In recent months, protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have taken to the streets to block major roads in the capital Yerevan and call on the population to commit acts of civil disobedience. Pashinian has come under fire after he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev agreed to start drafting a bilateral peace treaty to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and set up a joint commission on demarcating the borders.

Armenia committed to establishment of peace and welfare in region – Parliament Speaker

Jack Hunanian

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 17:30, 6 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan delivered speech at the session of the Council of CSTO Parliamentary Assembly in Yerevan on June 6.

Armenpress presents the text of the speech:

“Dear colleagues, I am glad to welcome you.

Colleagues, last year Armenia assumed the chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). I would like to inform you, in general, about the procedure of the implementation of priorities of the chairmanship of the Republic of Armenia to the CSTO during 2021-2022.

Assuming the chairmanship of the Organization as a priority a problem was laid down to modernize the crisis response, monitoring, the forecast of crisis situations and the prevention mechanisms. I would like to mention with satisfaction that appropriate steps have been undertaken in these priority directions. I mean the crisis response mechanisms.

As you know, at the beginning of this year, taking into consideration the bid by the President of Kazakhstan Mr Tokayev, Armenia as chairing country to the CSTO, urgently initiated consultations with the heads of the countries of the organization, as a result of which Prime Minister Pashinyan announced about his decision of sending the CSTO peacekeeping corps. The results of the peacekeeping action assured the readiness of the Organization on taking measures on time in counteracting the security challenges and threats of the member states and showed the role of the CSTO in preserving the regional stability. We always considered that the CSTO crisis response mechanisms should work in a right way. Meanwhile, Armenia was in a situation, when we were waiting for the mechanisms to work, but unfortunately they didn’t work.

Armenia pays special attention to the deepening of the external political coordination and the mutual support for the elaboration of the agreed approaches over the international and regional issues, which touch upon the interests of the CSTO member states. I am fully convinced that such unity should be displayed towards any ally state of the organization.

This year considerable efforts are made to the improvement of the response system to the crisis situations in the regions of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the modernization of the mechanism of the adoption of the appropriate decisions, first of all, the normative-legal base development, as well as the establishment of cooperation within the framework of the crisis response centre.

The nest priority of the Republic of Armenia is the further development of the CSTO troops (collective forces), the preservation of their readiness for the fulfillment of the targeted tasks, taking into consideration the forecast of the dynamics and change of the military-political situations in the regions being in the immediate vicinity of the CSTO responsibility zone.

I would like to separately emphasize the role of the parliamentary measurement of the Organization on which our priorities are the rapprochement and harmonization of the national legislation of the CSTO member states in ensuring the security, taking into account the challenges and threats, including the digital, economic, financial and environmental spheres.

We also make efforts for the institutional continuous development and activation of the Parliamentary Assembly. In this context I consider important on time the proposal for the improvement of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly structure.

I shall note that the chairmanship of the Republic of Armenia passes in the hard transformation period of the security architecture of the world.

We witness that in the CSTO responsibility zone the situation is tense, and the member states of the Organization continue clashing with the new challenges and threats. The conflict potential continues growing along the perimeter of the allied states’ borders. The situation is hard and grave on the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan. We hope that the problems existing between the conflicting countries will be resolved through diplomatic means. The situation also remains tense in Nagorno Karabakh. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan continues pursuing rather aggressive policy against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The invasion of the Azerbaijani sub-divisions into the Russian peacekeepers’ responsibility zone in Nagorno Karabakh causes concern. We hope that the representatives of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, which have a key role in ensuring security of the Armenian population of the Nagorno Karabakh, will restore the status-quo of November 9, 2020 trilateral statement.

The Republic of Armenia is faithful to the implementation of all agreements and the next trilateral statements of the heads of the states. In the context of the created humanitarian problems because of 44-day war, the priority is the unreservedly and urgent return of Armenian prisoners of war and other civilians held in Azerbaijan, as well as the preservation of the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in the territories passed under the Azerbaijani control.

Dear colleagues, I would like to once again underscore that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not a territorial dispute, but the issue of the right of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh to live safe in their homeland. We believe that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship should play a key role in the advancement of the peaceful process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. At the same time, we call on the leadership of Azerbaijan not to violate the steps aimed at ensuring the stability and peace in the South Caucasus with their bellicose and expansionist rhetoric.

Armenia is committed to the establishment of peace and welfare in the region and repeatedly recorded the willingness of beginning negotiations on the settlement of the relations with Azerbaijan. We filled in the agenda for reaching the comprehensive peace with our proposals and handed them over to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Concluding my speech, I would like to mention that no matter how up-to-date the priorities of the development of the Organization sounded by Armenia, we can reach results only due to the joint efforts directed to the further strengthening of the security system, constructive and effective cooperation and the dynamic development of the allied relations between the member states of the Organization.

Thank you for your attention".

Sports: Armenia 1 – 0 Republic of Ireland

Jack Hunanian
BBC News, UK
June 4 2022
Armenia 1 – 0 Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland's Nations League campaign began in deeply disappointing fashion as they fell to a surprise defeat by Armenia in Yerevan.

Eduard Spertsyan scored the only goal, beating Republic keeper Caoimhin Kelleher with a rasping drive from distance 16 minutes from time.

Chiedozie Ogbene squandered the visitors' best chance, misjudging a free header in first-half injury time.

The result extends the Republic's winless run in the Nations League.

It is now 11 games without victory in the competition, having scored just two goals in the process, and with three difficult games against Ukraine and Scotland to come over the next 10 days in Group B1.

An eight-game unbeaten run prior to Saturday's match, including creditable draws at home to Portugal and Belgium, had lifted the mood around the Republic after a difficult start to Stephen Kenny's reign.

  • As it happened: Republic stunned by Armenia

However, this result will likely attract further criticism after Kenny's side were stunned by a team ranked 92nd in the world in a game that stirred memories of last year's embarrassing World Cup qualifying defeat by Luxembourg.

The Irish were expected to overpower an Armenia team that lost 9-0 to Norway in their last outing in March, but Kenny's side found the going tough against a resilient defensive unit led impressively by captain Varazdat Haroyan.

Having ridden waves of Irish pressure in the first half, Armenia appeared rejuvenated upon the resumption with the lively Tigran Barseghyan's goal ruled out after Hovhannes Hambardzumyan had strayed offside before supplying the assist.

Barseghyan also curled an effort just wide from distance but the Republic did not heed the warning and were punished when Spertsyan was given time to turn and shoot from 25 yards, his shot going in off Kelleher's right-hand post.

While Armenia celebrated in the Yerevan heat, the Republic only had themselves to blame after spurning a series of presentable chances to open the scoring.

Callum Robinson and Ogbene, two of the Republic's brightest sparks over the past year, combined twice to good effect early on, with Robinson hitting the side-netting on 12 minutes before having a shot deflected behind after being found by the Rotherham attacker on both occasions.

It was Ogbene, however, who spurned the Republic's biggest chance of the opening half when he failed to keep his free header down after Josh Cullen's right-wing free-kick.

While Armenia can no longer call upon the playmaking talents of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who retired from international football earlier this year, they offered glimpses of their threat with Barseghyan's disallowed goal and effort from distance signs of the home side's growing confidence.

The Republic, who ran out of ideas in a flat second-half display, had to wait until the 62nd minute to register their first effort on target when Shane Duffy headed straight at David Yurchenko before Jeff Hendrick curled a tame shot into the home keeper's grasp.

But while the Irish grew increasingly dismayed in their attempts to break down the home side's defence, Spertsyan picked up the ball and unleashed an unstoppable 25-yard drive to spark jubilant scenes among the home supporters.

From there, the Republic could only fashion a late header from John Egan that went wide as their miserable Nations League record continued ahead of a triple-header against more accomplished opposition in Ukraine and Scotland.

  • Line-ups
  • Match Stats
  • Live Text

Home TeamArmeniaAway TeamR. of Ireland
Possession
Home32%
Away68%
Shots
Home10
Away13
Shots on Target
Home3
Away2
Corners
Home2
Away6
Fouls
Home6
Away10

Sports: Kenny insists Ireland need to focus on Armenia despite upcoming Ukraine challenge

Jack Hunanian
June 2 2022
Kenny insists Ireland cannot afford to be distracted by the bigger challenge ahead of Ukraine when they face Armenia on Saturday
JOHN FALLON, YEREVAN

Stephen Kenny insists Ireland cannot afford to be distracted by the bigger challenge ahead of Ukraine when they face Armenia on Saturday in their Uefa Nations League opener.

Ukraine are within 90 minutes of reaching the World Cup following Wednesday’s impressive 3-1 win away to Scotland – ironically another of the B1 group nations.

In a congested end-of-season window, Ukraine meet Wales in Sunday’s World Cup playoff decider before travelling to the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

Ireland’s chances of reaching Qatar this November were ended over a year ago and their weekend assignment against the pool’s bottom seeds takes place in the low-key setting of Yerevan.

Stiflingly hot conditions of 30+ degrees greeted the Irish team on their arrival into the Armenia capital on Wednesday but the Ireland boss was playing it cool when it came to the plan of action.

He has already the team a target of topping their group and isn’t deviating from it despite watching Ukraine put months of anguish from the Russian invasion behind them to dominate the Scots. Benfica striker Roman Yaremchuk, whose header put them 2-0 ahead at Hampden Park, particularly impressed the Ireland boss.

“Ukraine were excellent in the game, really impressive,” said Kenny, who watched the game on television from their Yerevan base.

“We knew that as we have watched a lot of their games. They have a lot of really good technical players, easily able to change their midfield three.

“Yaremchuk is a really good centre-forward too and Ukraine deserved to win but Scotland probably didn’t play to their full potential.

“To be honest, we really must just focus on Armenia. Coming away from home, Armenia’s results have been up and down, but they have had some good home wins here against Iceland and Romania, two good teams.

“They won their last Uefa Nations League group over Georgia and North Macedonia to win promotion to League B so you have to respect that. This is the game we are fully focused on and trying to get ourselves ready for.” Meanwhile, Kenny’s latest No 3 coach, John Eustace, will link up with the squad on Thursday night after getting married.

The highly-regarded tutor was recruited by Kenny in time for the March friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania, replacing Anthony Barry who had filled in following the shock resignation of Damien Duff in January 2021.

“When John was appointed, he said the one problem he had was that his wedding was on (this week),” explained the manager.

“He had it all booked for this week in the Cotswolds and I said that was fine.

“John was with us for the first three days of the camp in Dublin and got a couple of days off.” Eustace's club situation is unclear. He has operated on the backroom staff at QPR since 2018 but they this week lured Steven Gerrard's assistant Michael Beale to Loftus Road as boss and it remains to be seen if he'll recruit new assistants.