Artsakh Remembered, SCO Theater, Russian Signals, and the Cucumber Paradox | Ep 584, Sep 6, 2026 [EP584]

Posted on Monday, Sep 7, 2026 | Series: wir, video

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Topics:

Artsakh remembered, its cause unresolved
Putin puts Russia’s military base on the table
Church prosecutions begin to unravel
EU trade headlines look better than the deal
Army indiscipline fuels mounting non-combat deaths
New political pressures before local elections

Episode 584 | Recorded: Sep 6, 2026

#Artsakh #Armenia #NagornoKarabakh #SouthCaucasus #SCO #Russia #EuropeanUnion #ArmenianPolitics

Show Notes

Summary

In this week’s Groong episode, Hovik and Asbed review September 2026 developments across Armenia and the South Caucasus. We examine Artsakh’s remembered independence declaration on September 2, 1991, and its unresolved cause following the 2023 ethnic cleansing; Putin’s signaling on Russia’s military base presence; ongoing Armenian Church prosecutions; EU trade negotiations; mounting non-combat military deaths; and political pressures ahead of local elections. We also analyze U.S. envoy Witkoff and Kushner’s diplomatic shuttle through Moscow and Kyiv.

Topics Covered

U.S.-Russia diplomacy over the Ukraine war
Artsakh Independence Day, 35 years later
Artsakh institutions and the question of return
Armenia’s SCO policy and “multipolarity”
Putin , Pashinyan , the EU, and Russia
Future of the Russian military base
EU trade liberalization and the “cucumber paradox”
Tariff quotas, certification, and transport barriers
Rising non-combat deaths in Armenia’s military
Discipline and accountability under Suren Papikyan
Armen Grigoryan’s record and new book
His pre-2018 views on Artsakh concessions
Upcoming municipal elections
Pressure on opposition-linked local officials
Gagik Khachatryan’s treatment in court
Narek Nalbandyan’s rapid rise in business
Naira Alaverdyan’s detention
Setbacks in the case against Catholicos Karekin II
Aregnaz Manukyan and Andranik Tevanyan
Libel ruling involving Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan

Key Questions Discussed

Is there a real opening for a negotiated end to the Ukraine war?
What does Artsakh’s 35th anniversary mean after the 2023 ethnic cleansing ?
Can Artsakh’s representative institutions continue operating under pressure in Armenia?
Is Armenia serious about the SCO and multipolarity, or is the rhetoric mainly tactical?
Why did Putin publicly raise the possibility of removing the Russian military base?
Would Armenians support EU integration if leaving the Eurasian Economic Union were part of the choice?
Do the EU’s new tariff concessions offer Armenia meaningful export opportunities?
How much do quotas, certification rules, safeguard clauses, and transport costs limit those concessions?
Why are non-combat deaths and discipline problems persisting in the Armenian Armed Forces?
Where does responsibility lie within the Defense Ministry?
What does Armen Grigoryan’s pre-2018 rhetoric reveal about his political evolution?
Are upcoming municipal elections prompting pressure on strong local opposition figures?
Is law enforcement being applied selectively against political opponents?
What do the judge recusals and prosecutor resignation suggest about the Catholicos case?
Why did the treason allegations against Aregnaz Manukyan and Andranik Tevanyan not appear in the case sent to court?

Links Referenced During the Show

Artsakh Independence Day and Commemorations

Artsakh National Assembly

EU Trade Liberalization

Non-Combat Deaths in the Armenian Armed Forces

Municipal Elections and Pressure on Local Officials

Armen Grigoryan

Wrap-up

Links and Resources

That’s our show , 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.

Hosts

Hovik Manucharyan

Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.

Asbed Bedrossian

Asbed Bedrossian is an IT professional, and for years oversaw the central IT enterprise infrastructure and services at USC. His decades of experience spanned across IT strategy, enterprise architecture, infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, data center operations, high performance computing, ITSM, ITPM, and more.

Asbed founded the Armenian News Network Groong circa 1989/1990, and co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020.