MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. Moscow disagrees with remarks by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who accused Russia of distancing itself from the South Caucasus region, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"We cannot agree with these statements by Mr. Prime Minister [of Armenia Pashinyan]. Russia is an inseparable part of this region, so it simply cannot turn its back and walk away from anywhere in the region. Russia simply cannot walk away from Armenia," he emphasized.
"There are more [ethnic] Armenians in Russia than there are in Armenia itself, and the majority of them are absolutely model citizens and patriots of our country," Peskov added. He noted with confidence that Russia would continue acting as a guarantor of security and stability in the region, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh, and that Moscow would keep working toward aiding the process of deconflicting the tense situation there.
Earlier, Pashinyan said in an interview with Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper that Russia had become estranged from the South Caucasus. According to the Armenian premier, Russian peacekeepers are either reluctant to or incapable of controlling the disputed Lachin Corridor.