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Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has claimed that the Armenian railway system could collapse “overnight” if Russia were to lose its management rights over the network.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier called for an end to Russian management of Armenia’s railway network, which is operated by Russia under a concession agreement. Pashinyan specifically stated that, in the context of current regional connectivity development projects, including TRIPP, it would be preferable for another country—particularly one with friendly ties to both Armenia and Russia—to take over management. He argued that some countries might choose not to make shipments through Armenia due to Russian management of the railway system, thereby reducing Armenia’s competitiveness.
In an interview with the TASS news agency, Sergey Shoigu opposed Pashinyan’s statement.
“I will not assess other countries’ competence in managing railway operations, but I can confidently say that hardly any other company would be able to fully replace the Russian rail carrier, which has operated effectively in Armenia for a long time under challenging conditions. The system built over nearly two decades could simply collapse overnight. For this reason, naturally, no ‘friendly country’ would assume responsibility for it. I hope that, when making responsible decisions, the leadership of Armenia will act solely in the interests of its citizens,” Shoigu said, adding that the Russian South Caucasian Railway Company is fulfilling its obligations as required by the agreement. He noted that total investments in the sector amount to over 30 billion rubles.