In recent days, Armenia’s media space has been actively discussing publications related to Russian influence in Armenia, election processes, and possible actions against various political actors. Some of these “investigations” clearly carried a propagandistic and manipulative character.
Political analyst Tigran Grigoryan offered his assessment of these publications and discussed where the line lies between reality and fabrication.
According to him, some of the materials came from reputable sources, including the Russian opposition outlet The Insider, which he considers trustworthy.
“If The Insider says it possesses certain documents, I am inclined to believe it because the outlet has spent years conducting high-level investigations, ranging from corruption cases to the poisoning of Alexei Navalny,” the political analyst noted.
Not All Investigations Inspire the Same Confidence
At the same time, Grigoryan said he approaches publications by the Dossier Center with greater caution.
He recalled that some representatives of the organization had previously made controversial statements, including on Armenian-Azerbaijani issues.
According to Grigoryan, the most serious problem was connected to a website called “Khronika Kavkaza,” whose publications gained wide circulation in Armenian media and social networks.
The political analyst said the website appeared suspicious at first glance, and even basic verification suggested that it had been artificially created.
“It took us about 30 minutes to understand that the website had been created on April 27, 2025, and was actively promoted from the start by the Telegram channel ‘Baghramyan 26,’ which is associated with the authorities,” he stated.
Signs of Artificial Origin
According to Grigoryan, the journalists listed in the website’s “About Us” section did not actually exist.
Photographs of other people had been used, while the presented authors had no identifiable digital footprint.
The political analyst added that the content itself displayed a distinctly fictional approach and that the authenticity of the documents could not be verified.
He also referred to an investigation by Factor TV, where specialists reportedly demonstrated in detail why such materials appeared highly questionable.
The Problem Goes Beyond a Fake Website
In Grigoryan’s view, the problem is not limited to the existence of a fake platform.
He believes the greater issue is that the site’s materials were widely shared by actors who consider themselves independent.
“Even after it became clear that the website was fake, many people did not apologize. Instead, they began arguing that the published information was still true. That is not an honest approach,” he emphasized.
The Emergence of “Disinformation Sovereignty”
According to Grigoryan, Armenia is developing a dangerous trend that he describes as “disinformation sovereignty.”
“It resembles a situation in which Armenia is trying to counter Russian disinformation with its own disinformation. I do not know whether this is good or bad, but these mechanisms can be used to target anyone,” he said.
He added that politicians are currently the primary targets, but such methods could be used to discredit virtually any critic of the government.
A Dangerous Trend for Civil Society
Grigoryan also expressed concern that some representatives of civil society and supposedly independent actors are participating in these processes.
“I do not understand how someone can belong to civil society, call themselves an independent actor, and simultaneously engage in spreading disinformation. In essence, this is no different from the same Russian methods and toolkit. It is a very dangerous process,” he said.
According to the political analyst, such mechanisms can eventually be directed against anyone. At the current stage, politicians are the primary targets of disinformation, but any government critic could become a target in the future.
He concluded by stressing that journalistic and civic communities should respond appropriately to such developments.