Pro-Kremlin voice floats military action in Central Asia, Armenia “To hell with international law”

A prominent Russian state television presenter has suggested that Moscow could carry out military operations in Central Asia and Armenia, dismissing international law and arguing that Russia must defend what he described as its “zone of influence”.

According to Caliber.Az, Vladimir Solovyov, a leading pro-Kremlin commentator, made the remarks during a broadcast in which he discussed recent statements by US President Donald Trump concerning Greenland and Venezuela.

Paraphrasing Trump, Solovyov said: “I need Greenland — I take it, I don’t care about any agreements. I need Venezuela — I take it.”

He then drew a parallel with Russia’s own actions, arguing that Moscow should focus on what he called the “near abroad” rather than distant regions such as Syria or Venezuela. According to Solovyov, Central Asia falls firmly within Russia’s sphere of influence.

“For us, what is happening in Armenia is far more painful than what is happening in Venezuela. Losing Armenia would be a huge problem,” he said. “Problems in our Asia — Central Asia — could become an enormous challenge for us.”

Solovyov said Russia must clearly define its national goals, adding that “the games are over”. He openly entertained the possibility of using force in regions he considers vital to Russian interests.

“To hell with international law and the international order,” he said. “If it was necessary for our national security to launch a special military operation on Ukrainian territory, why can’t we launch similar operations in other points of our zone of influence?”

He added that any country falling within Russia’s “vital interests” could have any government it wished, provided it was not anti-Russian — a remark widely interpreted as referring to Armenia and Georgia.

Solovyov also claimed that Russia could carry out an operation comparable to the hypothetical abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, should it deem such action necessary.

He concluded by calling for the development of a formal “national doctrine” that would explicitly define Russia’s sphere of influence.

By Aghakazim Guliyev