Show Notes

Summary:

We reflect on September 27 and the 44-Day War, tracing how Pashinyan’s 2018 rise set the stage for broken negotiations, secret leader-to-leader contacts, poor defense choices, and a propaganda-laden war that the Armenian government failed to mobilize for. We revisit ceasefire rejections, Russia’s stand-off posture, and the postwar slide into demilitarization, border retreats, and historical revisionism. We close on accountability, the need for a real war commission, and the right of Artsakh’s people to return.

Main Topics Addressed

Pashinyan’s rise and Western backing
Breakdown of talks and secret meetings
Failures and propaganda during the war
Aftermath, revisionism, and political responsibility

Key Questions Discussed

Why did Serzh Sargsyan resign rather than confront the 2018 movement?
Did Pashinyan stall or reset Minsk-Group talks and pursue backchannels with Aliyev?
How did defense procurement shifts and army restructuring weaken readiness?
Why was the state not fully mobilized, and why were ceasefires rejected?
What explains Russia’s limited role and the peacekeeper calculus?
Can there be dignified peace amid ethnic cleansing, demilitarization, and “memory-holing”?
What should a genuine, independent war inquiry examine first?

Referenced Articles & Sources

Piotr Świtalski book on Armenia’s 2018 events (PISM): https://pism.pl/upload/images/artykuly/2f97f331-84d8-4f9d-963a-39cb046dd8c1//1599134927962.pdf
Emil Sanamyan, “Saint Nick of Armenia” (oDR): https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/saint-nick-of-armenia-how-nikol-pashinyan-rescued-armenia-and-made-it-merry/
Armtimes (background on Pashinyan): https://armtimes.com/hy/article/105002
News.am on Ararat Mirzoyan informant letter: https://news.am/eng/news/623848.html
Lurer.am on Rubinyan asset declaration: https://lurer.com/?p=560245&l=am
Groong tweet thread on backchanneling: https://x.com/groong/status/1920661495043813507
Jam-News analysis of 2020 war defeat: https://jam-news.net/myths-and-realities-of-armenias-defeat-in-the-second-karabakh-war/
Yerevan.Today archive note: https://archive.yerevan.today/eterum/karch-asats/134907
ArmInfo on acquisitions and Su-30s: https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=46726&lang=3
Gagrule (roundup on suspicious deaths): https://gagrule.net/six-officials-who-suspiciously-died-during-pashinyan-reign/
Armlur report: https://armlur.am/1158250/
7or.am interview claim on “earthquake” remark: https://www.7or.am/am/news/view/197328/
News.am on mobilization gaps: https://news.am/arm/news/906739.html
Calls for a 2020 war commission, Groong Ep-82: https://podcasts.groong.org/82-calls-for-a-commission-to-analyze-the-defeat-in-the-2020-artsakh-war-ep-82-july-31-2021/

Thoughts from the Participants

On responsibility: A defeated, capitulating leader cannot negotiate on behalf of the nation.
On peace: Undignified peace invites future conflict, not stability.
On Artsakh: Seeking return and justice for Artsakh is a right, not “revanchism.”

Wrap-up

Links and Resources

That’s our Week in Review, we hope you found it helpful. We invite your feedback and your suggestions, you can find us on most social media and podcast platforms.

Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts.

44-Day War, a Tale of Betrayal | Ep 476, Sep 28, 2025 [EP476]

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