The article of The Insider magazine—recognized in Russia as a foreign agent and an undesirable organization—that allegedly employees of the Russian FSB, the GRU, and the NKVD were sent to Armenia to counteract Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan does not correspond to reality, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated on Telegram.

“The arguments presented in the so-called ‘investigation’ are a blatant lie and an organized provocation. Their goal is to exert psychological pressure on Russian diplomats and create a climate of fear among Armenian society on the threshold of the [parliamentary] elections [on June 7],” the statement said.

Representatives of the Russian MFA added that the information contained in the aforesaid article is devoid of convincing evidence and contains factual errors.

“The Insider is unable to present a single convincing fact that would confirm the allegations made,” they noted.

Also, the Russian MFA separately addressed the magazine’s allegations about the activities of the Russian House in Yerevan. The ministry explained that the humanitarian, cultural, and educational programs being implemented by this organization, as well as the use of “soft power,” which are presented as accusations in the article, fully correspond to the tasks set for the Russian House abroad.

In addition, the Russian MFA dismissed the accusations made against Russian organizations about interference in the internal affairs of Armenia. The ministry stated that Russia’s diplomatic activities in Armenia are carried out in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Russian MFA described this article as part of a campaign to discredit Russia and its ties with Armenia.

"We view the latest ‘sensation’ about ‘Russian agents’ in Yerevan as another episode in the campaign to expel Russia from the South Caucasus," the Russian foreign ministry said.

Source: https://news.am/en/news/1037127