DISINFO: EU mission is collecting intelligence against Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia under the guise of “monitoring”
SUMMARY
Many of the risks that Armenia faces today could have been mitigated if Yerevan had agreed to the proposal to implement measures to stabilise the situation on the border with Azerbaijan through the CSTO in September 2022. We are talking about serious initiatives that included military-technical assistance, sending a monitoring mission, and assistance in training border troops. Unfortunately, the Armenian leadership chose to invite a mission from the European Union, which does not protect the state's borders at all, but under the guise of "monitoring" is collecting intelligence against Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative attempting to discredit the EU mission to Armenia, accusing it of espionage.
The EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) is a civilian mission that observes and reports on the security situation on the ground, contributes to the security of the people in conflict-affected areas in Armenia, and builds confidence on the ground. Through its presence, EUMA also contributes to ensuring an environment conducive to the normalisation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the EU.
From the very beginning, this exclusively civilian mission has been fully transparent about its plans to operate from six hubs.
The mission was launched in Armenia in response to a request by Armenia. EUMA conducts routine patrolling and reports on the situation, which strengthens the EU’s understanding of the situation on the ground.
The decision to deploy the EU monitors on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan was made after the September 2022 escalation. The EU has called for and helped a normalisation process.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database: the EU mission in Armenia carries out intelligence and provocation activities; the EU mission in Armenia is an instrument of the EU's hybrid war; the US wants to bring NATO forces into the Caucasus through the EU mission; the West wants Armenia to lose its sovereignty; The EU mission is working against Russia and Iran; EU mission is spying on Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan from the territory of Armenia.
The Russian Embassy in Armenia made this claim.