Russia threatens Armenia with war
The Armenian leadership is repeating the path of Kyiv, which led Ukraine to war with Russia, said Alexey Zhuravlyov, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Defense Committee, in an interview with RIA Novosti, News.Az reports.
“All of Armenia’s steps exactly mirror the path Ukraine already took: a fight against the canonical Church, the crushing of the opposition, and now the ban on Russian TV channels,” he said.
The deputy claimed that Armenia’s desire to rid itself of Kremlin propaganda was an attempt to “create an information vacuum” and “brainwash” the population. According to Zhuravlyov, the Armenian authorities are preparing the ground for launching a “unified Armenian telethon,” similar to Ukraine’s, to broadcast a “fabricated reality” in which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has supposedly “already defeated everyone.” “The Armenian people still have a chance not to step on the same rake. And to finally think about where the current authorities are leading Armenia. Certainly not towards prosperity or well-being,” Zhuravlyov emphasized.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Federation Council's Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin claimed that “someone” in the republic is “starting a long game” to stir up “hostility between Armenians and Russians” by threatening to ban pro-Kremlin channels. He blamed these actions on Western intelligence services. “Public opinion in Armenia should remain vigilant, and all necessary measures must be taken, including by politicians, to prevent a tragic escalation of events,” Karasin warned.
Deputy Director of the Fourth Department of CIS Countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Dmitry Masyuk, stated that Yerevan should maintain friendly relations with Moscow to “preserve legality and calm” on its territory.
According to Masyuk, Russia regards the “period of political turbulence” Armenia is currently experiencing as its internal affair. However, he added that the Kremlin considers it crucial to prevent the South Caucasus from turning into a stage for open geopolitical confrontation. Masyuk said Moscow remains committed to developing “equal relations” with all countries in the region “based on principles of friendship, good neighborliness, traditional spiritual and moral values, and a shared historical past.”
On July 1, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan called for a complete ban on Russian TV broadcasting in the republic. He referred to Kremlin propagandists as “degenerates” who are inflaming tensions and negatively affecting inter-state relations. “These lackeys' programs have long been shut down in our country, and they’re banned from entering as well. But if their state channels still dare to interfere in Armenia’s internal affairs, then we must also shut off their access to our citizens’ homes,” the politician said.
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