Zakharova Warns Armenia: Visa Plan for Russians Will Target Its Own Citizens

On September 3, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned Armenia that introducing a visa regime for Russian citizens would be a step aimed primarily against Yerevan itself. Speaking on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), she stated: “If Armenia suddenly introduces visas, it will not introduce them against us — it will introduce them against its own citizens.” The diplomat emphasized that such a move would negatively affect Russians, particularly those with large numbers of relatives living in Armenia.