Russia’s rift with old ally Armenia deepens doubts about its clout in ex-USSR

A public falling-out between Russia and Armenia, one of its oldest and closest allies, is deepening doubts about Moscow's ability to maintain and project power across parts of the former Soviet Union when it is focused on waging war in Ukraine. Armenia hosts a Russian military base and is Moscow's only strategic ally in the volatile South Caucasus, a region crisscrossed with oil and gas pipelines.