Maria Zakharova, Official Representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, commented on the statements of a number of Armenian figures that Russian peacekeepers did not protect civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 and allowed ethnic cleansing of the population.
"We have established a very reliable, good and close dialogue with our colleagues of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, we have repeatedly conveyed Russia's position regarding these statements and said that they only bring new problems in bilateral relations and, of course, do not contribute to anything neither to the strengthening of the bilateral agenda, nor to regional problems. But, unfortunately, it apparently benefits someone out there. I don't know if this is beneficial to someone in Armenia, whether it is beneficial to Armenia abroad, it is difficult to say.
We believe that these are attempts to falsify the facts to avoid responsibility. There was no mass death of NK civilians or significant damage to civilian objects. If anyone has the audacity to say that the peacekeepers did not provide this, please present the facts. With the active mediation of the peacekeepers, an agreement was reached on September 20 to stop military operations, and negotiations were held between the representatives of the Armenian population of Karabakh and the authorities of Azerbaijan. No one has the right to insult the peacekeepers, and we will respond to those who insulted.
Regarding the claims of ethnic cleansing in Karabakh, I would like to be presented with any facts, any documents, or statements from any international organization that is considered authoritative in Yerevan, for example, the United Nations or another organization.
On our part, we have repeatedly mentioned the importance of creating conditions for the return of the Armenian population to Karabakh based on Baku's statements.
We noted the need to properly ensure the rights of the Armenian population of Karabakh. Ensuring not only rights, but also, most importantly, security. We are ready to provide all possible assistance to this process, including through Russian peacekeepers," Zakharova noted.
