Armenian Authorities Foil Alleged Coup Plot

(MENAFN) Armenia's Premier, Nikol Pashinyan, revealed on Wednesday that the nation's security forces had successfully dismantled an attempted coup, which he claimed was masterminded by a high-ranking religious figure.

Pashinyan took to Facebook to report that "law enforcement officers prevented a large and sinister plan by the 'criminal-oligarchic clergy' to destabilize the Republic of Armenia and seize power."

He echoed details provided in a prior announcement by Armenia’s Investigative Committee concerning the disrupted conspiracy.

As per the Investigative Committee’s release, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan had reportedly set his sights on initiating a governmental shift as early as November 2024.

To do so, he allegedly "acquired the necessary means and tools to commit terrorist attacks and seize power as part of a group and also deliberately created other conditions, thereby preparing for the usurpation of power."

Initially, Galstanyan and his allies aimed to realize their ambitions through peaceful public gatherings and protest marches.

However, the statement suggests they later devised a scheme to destabilize the country within a day or two by giving coordinated assignments to multiple assault units.

To that end, the group reportedly planned to organize between 200 and 250 strike teams, mainly consisting of ex-soldiers and former police members.

Each of these units was to carry out specific tasks as part of the broader conspiracy, according to the official statement.

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