Tag: South Caucasus
The South Caucasus sits at the crossroads of Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the broader Middle East — a small region whose internal conflicts have consistently attracted the attention of great powers. The three states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia each navigate overlapping and often contradictory security relationships with Moscow, Washington, and Brussels, while managing unresolved territorial disputes and competing integration ambitions.
The 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive — which resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population of Artsakh from Nagorno Karabakh — reshaped the regional order, accelerating Armenia’s pivot away from Russian security structures, deepening Azerbaijan’s strategic confidence, and leaving Georgia’s own geopolitical direction in flux following disputed elections and mass protests. The region has become a live testing ground for the limits of Russian influence, the reach of Western soft power, and the emerging role of powers like Turkey, Iran, India, and China.
Groong covers the South Caucasus comprehensively — not just Armenia’s domestic politics and security situation, but the regional dynamics that define the constraints and opportunities facing every state in the area. Episodes in this category examine bilateral relationships, multilateral formats, infrastructure corridors, and the geopolitical competition that makes the South Caucasus one of the most consequential small regions in Eurasian politics.
Constitutional Amendment | Opp Rising | Zarif Tour | Virus Update | Armenia Fund & the Dram (Ep #47) [EP47]
Posted on Tuesday, Feb 2, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Economy, Israel, Russia, Artsakh, Geopolitics, Turkey
ANN/Groong Week in Review - Jan 31, 2021
Topics Covered:
- Another Constitutional Amendment?
- Opposition Rising: New Bottle, Old Wine?
- Iranâs FM Zarif on a Tour de Six
- State of the Virus in Armenia
- Armenia Fund Used to Shore up the Dram?
Guests
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Hrant Mikaelian
Your Hosts:
- Alen Zamanyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210131.html Episode 47 | Recorded on January 31, 2021
Armenian IT Security and Readiness During Wartime - with Ruben Muradyan (Ep #46) - 01/31/2021 [EP46]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 31, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Iran, Turkey | Series: COG
Armenian IT Security and Readiness During Wartime - with Ruben Muradyan - Jan. 31, 2021
Experience being called up and participating in the war
Ethics of a security professional. What to do when a government member asks you to conduct greyhat (potentially unlawful or unethical) security?
On the 2nd day of the war Ruben was called up to the army as part of an infantry company.
- Can you describe your experience?
- How were you drafted? And where did you serve?
- What specialty did you have in the army?
- What can you tell us about what you saw?
- Why did we lose the war?
Cyber Incidents During Artsakh
Read MoreArmenian IT Security and Readiness During Wartime - with Ruben Muradyan (Ep #46) - 01/31/2021 [EP46]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 31, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Iran, TurkeyArmenian IT Security and Readiness During Wartime - with Ruben Muradyan - Jan. 31, 2021
Experience being called up and participating in the war
Ethics of a security professional. What to do when a government member asks you to conduct greyhat (potentially unlawful or unethical) security?
On the 2nd day of the war Ruben was called up to the army as part of an infantry company.
- Can you describe your experience?
- How were you drafted? And where did you serve?
- What specialty did you have in the army?
- What can you tell us about what you saw?
- Why did we lose the war?
Cyber Incidents During Artsakh
Read More
On November 9, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed The Statement ending the war in Artsakh, known more commonly as Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia emerged as a major winner, by ending the violence, introducing peacekeepers, and upholding its historical role as the regional referee in the Caucasus. What are Russiaâs interests in the region, and in this agreement?
Pietro Shakarian helps us explore. He is a historian and a Ph.D. candidate in Russian History at the Ohio State University. His analyses on Russia, Armenia, and the post-Soviet space have appeared in several publications, including The
Read MoreOn November 9, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed The Statement ending the war in Artsakh, known more commonly as Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia emerged as a major winner, by ending the violence, introducing peacekeepers, and upholding its historical role as the regional referee in the Caucasus. What are Russiaâs interests in the region, and in this agreement?
Pietro Shakarian helps us explore. He is a historian and a Ph.D. candidate in Russian History at the Ohio State University. His analyses on Russia, Armenia, and the post-Soviet space have appeared in several publications, including The
Read More
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 26 - Nov 8, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Six weeks of war, what to do next.
- What is Russia thinking?
- To recognize or not to recognize.
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
- Yeghia Tashjian
Recorded: Nov 7, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 26 - Nov 8, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Six weeks of war, what to do next.
- What is Russia thinking?
- To recognize or not to recognize.
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
- Yeghia Tashjian
Recorded: Nov 7, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - 10/25/2020
Topics Covered:
- International diplomacy on the move?
- What is Turkeyâs endgame?
- War and post-war economy
- Update on COVID
Guests:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Hrant Mikaelian
- Emil Sanamyan
Your Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201025.html Episode 23 | Recorded on October 25, 2020
International diplomacy | Turkey’s endgame | War and post-war economy | Update on COVID - 10/25/2020 [EP23]
Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2020 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, LebanonANN/Groong Week in Review - 10/25/2020
Topics Covered:
- International diplomacy on the move?
- What is Turkeyâs endgame?
- War and post-war economy
- Update on COVID
Guests:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Hrant Mikaelian
- Emil Sanamyan
Your Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201025.html Episode 23 | Recorded on October 25, 2020