Russia dismisses Armenian official's hybrid war allegations as lies, disinformation

Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has responded to the recent accusations made by President of the Armenian National Assembly Alen Simonyan, who claimed that Russia was engaged in a hybrid war and financing internal political processes in Armenia.

Zakharova expressed regret over Simonyan's rhetoric, remarking that such attacks and insults were unbecoming of the president of the National Assembly, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media. 

She also humorously referenced a derogatory term Simonyan had previously used to describe her, saying, "I am speaking as a press secretary." She went on to emphasise that similar accusations had been made against Russia by various countries in the past, but they were ultimately proven to be unfounded, labeling them as fake, lies, and disinformation. 

The spokesperson suggested that these baseless allegations did not contribute to fostering a positive environment for upcoming bilateral discussions. The Russian diplomat also voiced confusion about the motives behind Simonyan’s statements and expressed a reluctance to engage further in the matter.

She also questioned the idea of a hybrid war being waged against Armenia’s leadership, noting that Armenian leaders are frequently invited to participate in celebratory events and maintain regular high-level contact with Russia, including through the foreign ministry.

By Naila Huseynova