Fresh blow to Putin as Armenia's PM wins election, first results show

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy SOPHIA STANFORD, NEWS REPORTER Published: 08:34 BST, 8 June 2026 | Updated: 08:34 BST, 8 June 2026

Armenia's Prime Minister has comfortably held onto his position as initial figures show his ruling party won in the country's election, a result that is considered to be a blow for Putin.Nikol Pashinyan will now cement Armenia's tilt towards the West after previously trying to loosen the ex-Soviet republic's dependence on Moscow in his last term.The leader of the Civil Contract party has frozen participation in a Russia-led security bloc in recent years while deepening ties with the European Union and United States, and set Armenia on a path toward possible EU membership.Moscow has bristled at the possible loss of yet another ally in its backyard - and has even been accused of interfering with the election.Pashinyan's ruling party got 49.8 percent of the vote, comfortably ahead of the 23.3 percent of the Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan's Strong Armenia alliance, after all electoral precincts declared results, the Central Election Commission said.Two other opposition forces - ex-president Robert Kocharyan's 'Armenia' alliance and the Prosperous Armenia party - also cleared the electoral threshold to get into parliament, winning 9.9 percent and four percent of the vote, respectively.Turnout was 59 percent, the commission said.Pashinyan hailed his party's 'historic victory that will ensure Armenia's eternity and development.' Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (pictured) has held onto his position as initial results show his ruling party won in the country's election Pashinyan's win is considered a blow to Putin, as the country will cement its ties with the West and continue loosening its dependence on MoscowHe pledged to 'continue the course of rapprochement with the West' while also developing Armenia's relations with Russia.His opponent Karapetyan called the elections 'shameful' and denounced violations and repression, saying dozens of his campaign staff had been arrested.Armenia's Investigative Committee said it had opened 59 criminal cases over alleged electoral violations - including multiple voting - and detained nine people.The Kremlin has been accused of seeking to sway the vote. In a pointed remark, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in May: 'We all see what is happening with Ukraine now... How did it all begin? With Ukraine's attempt to join the EU.'Analysts have noted misinformation on the web, hacker activity and Kremlin-friendly narratives portraying Western cooperation as dangerous.In the weeks before the vote, Russia banned the import of several products from Armenia - seen as a move to heap economic pressure on the country.And Armenian officials have warned 'enemies of freedom' are funding propaganda efforts.For many Armenians, the opposition remains associated with Russian influence and oligarchs.