Big Dreams, Small Brain

· July 23, 2025

By Jirair Tutunjian

Brain-dead. Birdbrain. Bonehead. Hare-brained.

Take your pick: All of the above apply to the erratic Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. So do witless, unstable, fatuous, and preposterous.

Take a look at his overreaching ambition: wrest Armenia from Russianalliance and veer it towards the West. But right off the bat, Nikolstumbled when he and his spokespeople state his westward gaze is a “reorientation toward the West” In other words, Armenia was once part of the West and now Moses Nikol will return us to our roots.

Prophet and master strategist Baron Nikol, pray tell us when was Armenia part of the West? Was it when the Crusaders repeatedly betrayed us? Was it when King Levon V/VI failed to persuade the kings of France and England to recover Cilicia from the Memeluks of Egypt? Was it when the enlightened Crusaders of the Holy Land uttered racist statements about Melisende, the half-Armenian Queen of Jerusalem? Finally, was it when the French handed Cilicia to Mustafa Kemal and his killers despite Quai D’Orsay’s promises to Armenians who had suffered genocide at the hands of the Turks a few years earlier?

Let’s look at some crucial numbers and telling facts which Baron Nikolhas to consider and overcome before he slashes Armenia’s traditional ties to Russia.

1. There are 1.8 million to 2.5 million Armenians in Russia. Three years ago, remittances sent by the Armenians of Russia to

Armenia totaled $3.6 billion. What would happen to these Armenians (some are illegal immigrants) if Armenia bids farewell to Russia? What would happen to their remittances?

2. An unknown number of Armenians living in Russia are thereillegally. What would Uncle Nikol do if Moscow decides to deport them to Armenia? Would the deportees be welcomed in the same way Artsakh Armenians were welcomed? Would he complain they are an economic and social burden?

3. Trade between Armenia and Russia has reached $12 billion, it was announced in January of this year. Exports from Armenia to Russia totaled $2.95 billion and from Russia to Armenia close to $8.8 billion. What would happen to this roaring trade?

4. Armenia’s electricity distribution network is largely owned by Russian companies.

5. The majority of Armenia’s railway system is operated by a Russian company.

6. Russia provides weapons to Armenia. Recently Moscow sold missiles for the highly-sophisticated Smerch MLRs.

7. Armenia’s economy, energy, and transportation are dependent on Russia.

8. Russia’s Gazprom is the sole supplier of the natural gas to Armenia. Its subsidiary Gazprom Armenia runs the entire gas distribution infrastructure of the country.

9. Armenia is provided gas by Russia at a preferential price. Russia owns the gas pipeline.

10. Medzamor provides more than 30 percent of Armenia’s electricity. It’s managed by the Rosatom Russian corporation. The uranium for Medzamor is imported from Russia.

11. The Sevan-Hrasdan cascade, the largest hydraulic power plant in Armenia, is owned by the Tashir corporation. It’s not clear whether Tashir is jointly owned by Armenian and Russian investors.

12. Armenia imports 98 percent of its wheat flour, and corn from Russia in addition to 98 percent of its vegetable oil.

13. For more than two centuries Armenians and Russians have established close personal relations, in addition to cultural exchanges. What would happen if Nikol realizes his impossible dream?

Perhaps we should call Nikol’s dream Armenia’s nightmare.

Would Armenia be forced to buy its energy needs from Turkbeijan?

Would Armenia import its produce from the Turkic goons?

Would Armenia be forced to shut down Medzamor because the Turkbeijan twins object to it?

Pashinyan is trying to win the youth vote (elections are in 2026) by welcoming the West’s pop culture (Wendy’s is the most-recent Western food chain to land in Yerevan) to give Armenia a misleading Western veneer. Yes, hamburger + Coca-Cola=Western identity.

While Nikol is looking west, his better half—the fashionista blabber mouth—is headed east to absorb the wisdom of China. Perhaps the mysterious Orient will teach the insufferable Ms. Hagobyan the importance of retaining one’s national identity. That reading Shakespeare, Goethe, and Balzac and admiring Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms don’t make us European. And certainly consuming Western fast food doesn’t make us people of the West: it only make us obese.