Pashinyan says Armenia has formally approached Russia on rail restoration

By Elen Muradyan

Armenia has formally approached Russia in writing to restore key railway sections, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday, adding that Yerevan has received encouraging signals from Moscow and hopes the process will accelerate.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Pashinyan said he was not certain whether Russia had already provided a written reply, but noted that the overall feedback had been positive. He expressed hope that Russia would move forward without delay.

The prime minister has repeatedly said that reopening several railway segments is vital for regional connectivity and the unblocking of transport routes. These include the Ijevan section in northern Armenia, the Yeraskh stretch near the Armenia–Nakhichevan border, and the Akhurik segment linking Armenia to Turkey. Restoring these lines would potentially connect Armenia with Azerbaijan, link mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhichevan, and reopen a rail route to Turkey.

See also: Armenia may reclaim rail segments from Russian concession if investment lags 

Pashinyan has warned that Armenia may remove these segments from Moscow’s concession and restore them on its own if Russia fails to carry out the work within an appropriate timeframe.

On Thursday, he reiterated that position while stressing Yerevan’s preference for cooperation. “We would like to work together with our Russian partners to deepen cooperation on the unblocking of regional transport routes,” he said.

Armenia’s rail system has been operated by a Russian subsidiary since 2008 under a 30-year concession agreement that obliges the operator to invest in modernization and safety, while ownership of the assets remains with the Armenian state. However, no major projects were implemented since the signing.

See also: Armenia urges Russia to fast-track rail restoration after U.S.-backed corridor move