Are the US CIA and UK MI6 helping overseeing the creation of the new Armenian External Intelligence Service?

Pashinyan’s Rendezvous With CIA/MI6 Spy Masters

We rarely try to propagate rumors, but in this case we believe this is important. In episode 310, we talked about the potential that the US CIA and the UK MI6 are overseeing the creation of Armenia’s new intelligence service.

Listen to the segment and continue reading…

Chronology

Until recently, Armenia’s National Security Service has been the main intelligence agency for both internal and external intelligence gathering. Internally, it is the main agency who is able to tap phones, investigate cases of espionage, corruption, etc… Pashinyan, in the past has publicly alluded to the fact that the NSS has close ties to external countries (meaning Russia). However, when Pashinyan announced work to split the NSS and take away foreign intelligence gathering from its scope, he praised the agency, claiming it to be “one of the most important pillars of our state.”

Here’s a brief chronology of events related to this:

• Jul 15, 2022: William Burns (head of CIA) made a surprise visit to Yerevan to meet with Pashinyan. During the visit he also met Armen Grigoryan, head of the National Security Council and a favorite of the West. Reportedly, the head of the NSS was also at the meeting, but the agency’s spokesperson said they have “no information”. Source.
• Dec 17, 2022: Richard Moore (head of MI6) made a surprise visit to Armenia! Very little information about what was discussed, except “regional security”. Both Burns and Moore appear to have only visited Armenia, which is not customary for foreign dignitaries as they try to maintain parity between visits to both countries. Source.
• Jan 24, 2023: Kristine Grigoryan, who was Human Rights Defender of Armenia for a very short period (since Feb 2022), suddenly resigns. There were already rumors that she was tapped to head the new agency, but after the news of her resignation, she went “dark”. Source.
• Dec 20, 2022: Pashinyan officially announces the creation of the new agency. Source
• Oct 04, 2023: It is finally announced that Kristine Grigoryan will head the new agency. Where was she and what was she doing during the period between her resignation? I’ll leave that to your imagination! Source.
• Feb 16, 2024: Pashinyan, while attending the Munich Security Conference, has a formal meeting with Richard Moore, again!! Nothing else is mentioned. Source

CIA / MI6 Experience In Ukraine

On Sunday, February 25, 2024, New York Times published an interesting article about CIA/MI6 tag teaming to create a new intelligence service for Ukraine. Well, at least now we know that this is indeed part of their repertoire.

Apparently, shortly after the Maidan “Revolution” in 2014, it appears that Valentin Nalyvaichenko, the new government’s new spy chief, called the MI6 and CIA and a 3-way partnership was started.

The cooperation in Ukraine is so tight that the foreigners financed the creation of a secret spy bases, equipped them, and helped hire and train Ukrainian spies. In fact, NYT claims 12 secret bases were created along the Russian border.

The article is pretty interesting, have a read here.

Given American interest and engagement in Ukraine, including an embarrasing “Fu** the EU” leaked phone conversation which proved that the US was interfering and perhaps even pulling the strings during the Euromaidan, Aaron Mate rightly asks: “Why was Ukraine’s new spy chief already on such good terms with the CIA and MI6, literally on the night of a coup that brought his new government to power?”.

The NYT article does provide at least a partial answer: “During a previous stint as spy chief, Mr. Nalyvaichenko started a similar partnership with the C.I.A., which dissolved when the country swung back toward Russia.” That previous stint was between 2006 and 2010.

Questions

Anyway, coming back to Armenia, I do have some questions about this deal:

Why CIA and MI6?

If Armenia was worried about Russian infiltration and wanted to create a brand new intel service, couldn’t he ask some other country, maybe a more neutral one, for help? Why ask Russia’s “mortal” enemies, the UK and the US for such close cooperation.

Who is Kristine Grigoryan?

Who is Kristine Grigoryan anyway? She seems to have a background as a lawyer and her most relevant work as a government official appears to be Deputy Minister of Justice, since 2019. Prior to that, according to her LinkedIn profile, she has worked as a “Component Team Leader” for SANAP Tetra Tech, which is a USAID contractor.

Here’s a snapshot from Kristine Grigoryan’s LinkedIn (acquired Feb 26, 2024 11:40 pm):

Her prior work profile shows no indication that she’d be well versed in the creation of a spy service. Is it possible that Pashinyan, like many times before, simply choses individuals who will obey his commands? Like the unqualified Lilit Makunts, who was appointed as ambassador to the US?

Or is the relevant part of her background not listed on LinkedIn?

Since When? And What Exactly?

Inviting foreign countries to tear down your existing intel service and build one from scratch for you seems to be not a trivial endeavor. Especially in the case of Armenia, whose strategic ally Russia is currently effectively at war with the countries being invited to do this work.

These types of deals require preparation and trust. Was all this preparation and trust built up after 2018? Or…

And what exactly are the Brits and the Americans doing. In the case of Ukraine, they seem to have gone all in and created dozens of secret intelligence bases, equipped Ukraine to the fullest. Are they investing at a similar scale in Armenia?