Russia accuses Western countries of ‘blackmailing Armenia’

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has ordered former president Robert Kocharyan into pre-trial detention in a criminal case involving charges of abuse of authority, large-scale bribery, and money laundering.

Moscow has accused Armenia of cracking down on Kocharyan and other pro-Russian politicians, describing the charges as “repressions.” It has also claimed that the Armenian government’s calls on Moscow to give up concessions of Armenia’s railways are a result of “Western blackmail.”