For several weeks a significant part of our society discusses on different platforms the feasibility of the presence of Russian border troops in Armenia. Back in December, the opposition political circles of Armenia invited a round table to discuss specific questions about the inexpediency or unacceptability of the Russian border troops in Armenia. A few days ago, a group of public and political figures issued a statement to the Armenian authorities in which it was proposed that the Russian border troops leave Armenia on the basis of a clear schedule and that the Armenian border guard fully controls the borders of Armenia. In our society, frank discussions on this sensitive political issue did not go unnoticed in Russia. Analytical materials appeared suggesting that Armenia opposes the presence of Russian border troops. In these analyzes, as expected, the actualization of the problem was interpreted from the point of view of the West's spread of anti-Russian sentiments in Armenia.
The issue of getting rid of the Russian border guard service in recent days broke out among Armenians after it became clear that Russian troops had left the Syrian Afrin region because of the backstage Russian-Turkish agreements, leaving the Kurds alone against the Turkish threat. Many explain the concern by the fact that if Russian troops leave Syrian Afrin because of their inability or unwillingness to stop the invasion of the Turkish armed forces, one day Russian border troops will be withdrawn from the Armenian-Turkish border, threatened by Turkey or for any arrangement with Russia. At the same time, these fears were even more justified by the historical experience of the Armenian people, when Russia sacrificed Armenians and their issue at the beginning of the 20th century to solve their problems in the region.
Today, many citizens are asking themselves, whether these military units play any role in supporting the interests of Armenia? A number of reasons that Russian border troops were deployed in Armenia have become politically ineffective. Especially in connection with the situation around Afrin, people's attention was focused on the deception underlying this danger. Our society is trying to understand what is happening with its security in such a universal mechanism as a sovereign national state, designed to protect the lives and health of its citizens. At the same time, Armenian society thinks (or hopes) that someone else will protect it, because its interests coincide with the interests of our state, the conscience of the defender will speak, international law will act, etc. A deception, the Armenian society simply wants to believe in. It's easier to live like that.
However, it should be noted that sovereignty is not a manna from heaven. Sovereignty is a form of thinking, a psychological state, a manifestation of will and subjective attitude. Every adult must go through it and decide for themselves what he/she wants from the state, how h/she wants it and what he/she can do for it. This is the way to become a citizen of the state. There is no sovereignty on the planet without self-determination. When thus the majority of the population is self-determined, no matter how small a society, there can not be a word about conspiracy of external forces in the trampling of their interests and sacrifice for their own benefit. Both in Afrin and in Armenia people have to decide what they want. If they want to defend their interests, they will defend them, no matter how much resources they need to solve this problem. If not, there will be more conscious and free societies that will act in accordance with dictation and expediency.
How many people are interested in self-determination – this is today’s problem in Armenia. And the presence of "friendly" foreign troops, which violate our sovereignty and other external manifestations of our self-sacrifice, is only a consequence of this unresolved issue.