Zakharova criticized Armenia for its readiness to accept Russians fleeing mobilization

Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova called the words of the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Alen Simonyan provocative that this country is ready to accept Russians fleeing mobilization.

A message published on the Foreign Ministry website emphasizes that such statements “encourage Russian citizens to commit illegal actions and give traditional Armenian hospitality a toxic political coloring.”

Zakharova noted that Simonyan succumbed to a provocative question from a “foreign agent journalist.” She also emphasized that all rumors about the upcoming mobilization “were inspired by the Ukrainian junta and its Western patrons.”

On August 25, on the Dozhd TV channel, journalist Ekaterina Kotrikadze asked Alen Simonyan if Armenia is ready to accept a new wave of Russians who want to avoid being sent to the front. “At the border, no one is going to ask anyone why he came here,” the Security Council secretary replied. “Armenia will not interfere in any way, and if necessary, we will help.”

Sources from Meduza and other publications reported that a new wave of mobilization could be announced in Russia this fall. The Kremlin calls these messages “information canards.” Before the mobilization in 2022, the authorities also denied that it would be announced.