The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, referred to December 7, 1988 Spitak earthquake. It claimed the lives of tens of thousands of citizens, destroyed 9 million square meters of residential area, about 20% of the entire residential area of Armenia, as a result of which more than half a million people were left without a roof.
"At the moment of terrible misfortune, the entire huge state, foreign friends, including, of course, the Armenian diaspora came to the aid of the Armenian people," Zakharova said, referring to the help that the Soviet authorities and other republics provided to Armenia affected by the earthquake.
The spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry informed that an international conference called 'Spitak earthquake: a look from the past to the future' is held at the Gyumri branch of the Russian Center of Science and Culture these days.
"One of Spitak's lessons is the realization of the inviolability of the centuries-old friendship of the Russian and Armenian peoples, tested by various difficulties, whatever the political conjuncture. Our fraternal unity will overcome any difficulties, because it is time-tested," Zakharova said.
