Russian-Armenian interstate relations and public discourse in the context of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict

Tensions in Russia’s cross-border regions contribute to the aggravation of interethnic conflicts within the country. The active phase of the Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation, culminating in Azerbaijan’s restoration of control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seizure of part of Armenia’s own territory has caused a deep rift both in interstate relations between Russia and in interethnic ties between Russians and Armenians. As part of the article, through quantitative and qualitative content analysis of official and public internal political discourse on the subject of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the nature of modern interaction between states and nations is determined. It is revealed that the relations between official Moscow and Yerevan have passed through a period of sharp emotional confrontation to a more moderate constructive cooperation, while the public discourse, expressed in publications in the media and social networks, has not made this transition. Despite pragmatic interaction at the state level, the latent potential for interethnic clashes has been revealed.