 Russia prepares to implement Ukrainian scenarios in Armenia and war moves to the Caucasus region. Ararat, Mirzoyan and Jehun Behrimov, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan respectively, held two-day consultations in Berlin with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock serving as the mediator. She first met with each of them separately before beginning to negotiate a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the establishment of diplomatic relations. Baerbock believes that peace can be achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that his country had no plans to invade Armenia. However, Armenia continues to distrust its neighbour, Neza Vizemaya Gazeta writes. While diplomats in Berlin sought to reach an agreement, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proceeded to clarify Yerevan's relationship with the collective security treaty organisation CSTO. Speaking in parliament, the Armenian head of government stressed that in 2021, he asked the military bloc what its area of responsibility was in his country. Since there has been no response, the Armenian authorities have frozen their membership in the CSTO and will formalize their decision legally if the situation does not change. Pashinyan's behaviour is really provocative. He is attempting to provoke Moscow into making harsh diplomatic comments and other impolite actions in order to break off Armenian-Russian relations under these guys. Furthermore, Pashinyan would claim that he did not start the crisis. Vladimir Novikov, chairman of the Institute of CIS Countries Caucasus department told the newspaper. Most likely, Armenia's Prime Minister believes that the longer Russia's military operation in Ukraine lasts, the more issues Russia will face and the less interest it will have in the South Caucasus. As a result, he is seeking additional security guarantors which can only be western countries that are unable to accept Yerevan without the latter severing its relations with Moscow, the expert added. At the same time, Novikov noted that if Yerevan wants to suspend its participation in the CSTO, it must follow a specific legal procedure to do so. As a result, everything Pashinyan says in private has no legal ramifications. However, the expert believes that if Armenia is able to reach a peace treaty with Azerbaijan through one of the western platforms, it will most certainly quit the CSTO. Many Armenians are dissatisfied with the military bloc's failure to protect them during the difficult times and Yerevan is nearing the end of its relationship with this organization. Vadim Mukanov, head of the Caucasus division at the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of World Economy and International Relations told Neza Vizemaya-Dazeta. At the same time, there is no talk of breaking off relations with Russia, but overall, Russian-Armenian relations are at and all time low, he added. Armenian expert Ara Vdanyan says Russia does not hide its intention to leave the region. At the same time, the Armenian authorities use all possible means to provoke Moscow. All this brings us closer to the scenario of Ukraine or Syria. According to him, if the current trend continues, the future perspective of Armenia seems quite uncertain. Risk of Russian tactical nuclear strike, higher than thought. Russia's threshold for using shorter-range tactical nuclear weapons may be lower than defense experts in the West believe. The Financial Times has claimed cited purported Russian military documents. The materials, which were allegedly presentations for Russian naval officers, discussed operating principles for the use of nuclear weapons the Financial Times reported. They were supposedly produced between 2008 and 2014 and shared with the British outlet by Western sources. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the newspaper that Russia strongly doubts the authenticity of the documents. Moscow's military doctrine allows for the deployment of nuclear weapons in retaliation to a first strike against it or its allies or in situations where Russian statehood is threatened. Senior officials including President Vladimir Putin have drawn attention to the country's nuclear arsenal amid the Ukraine conflict. The US and its allies have accused the Russian leader of nuclear blackmail, although Moscow has rejected that allegation. The criteria for the use of nuclear weapons in the documents reviewed by the FT included losses by Russian forces that would irrevocably lead to their failure to stop major enemy aggression and a critical situation for the state security of Russia. The destruction of 20% of Russia's strategic missile submarines, 30% of nuclear-powered attack submarines or a simultaneous hit on main and reserve coastal command centers were cited as specific examples. US struck Houthi cruise missiles and drones in Yemen. The US has launched a series of strikes against Houthi cruise missiles and surface drones in Yemen according to the US Central Command. The US Central Command sent comm forces conducted seven self-defense strikes against four Houthi unmanned surface vessels and seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea, the US Central Command said. It is reported that the US military detected these missiles and unmanned surface vessels in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels. Since November of last year, there have been ongoing attacks by Yemeni Houthis on trade ships in the Red Sea, often associated with Israel. In January, the terrorist group launched its most significant attack. The US and British military repelled an attack in the Red Sea in early January. At the beginning of January, the US and Britain conducted powerful strikes against Houthi-related targets in Yemen. This was in response to the constant attacks by the Houthis on civilian ships in the Red Sea. On January the 28th, a Houthi drone in the Red Sea attacked a British military ship and the next day the Yemeni Houthis claimed to have attacked an American destroyer. However, the Pentagon refuted the militants' claim. Also on February the 6th, it was reported that a British cargo ship was attacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea.