The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Yerevan, Sergey Kopyrkin, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, where he was handed an official note of protest in connection with statements made by Russian television host Vladimir Solovyov. This was reported by the press secretary of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ani Badalyan.

The note expresses deep indignation over the content of remarks voiced on a program broadcast by a media outlet that is part of Russia’s state-owned media holding. As Badalyan emphasized, the Armenian side regards these statements as an unacceptable encroachment on the country’s sovereignty.

“It was emphasized that these statements constitute an unacceptable infringement on the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, carry a hostile character, and grossly violate the fundamental principles of friendly relations between Armenia and the Russian Federation”, Ani Badalyan stated.

Particular attention in Yerevan was drawn to the fact that such rhetoric was aired on a state television channel, and therefore cannot be viewed merely as the private opinion of a media figure.

The diplomatic response was triggered by remarks made by Vladimir Solovyov on January 11, in which he allowed for the possibility of conducting forceful operations in regions he referred to as Russia’s so-called “zone of influence.” Commenting on relations with Yerevan, he spoke of the “loss of Armenia”, describing it as, in his words, a “giant problem”.

The statements provoked a broad public reaction in Armenia. Narеk Karapetyan, coordinator of the “Po-nashemu” (“Our Way”) movement, responded by stressing that Armenia has always been and will remain a sovereign state.

“We respect our friends and neighbors, but we respect ourselves more”, Karapetyan said.

The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored that the summoning of the ambassador and the delivery of the protest note are part of standard diplomatic practice and reflect Yerevan’s firm stance on safeguarding sovereignty and national dignity.

The move should be seen as a deliberate and carefully calibrated diplomatic step aimed not at escalation, but at clearly delineating “red lines”. Armenia has made it clear that it does not intend to ignore statements that could be interpreted as signals legitimizing the use of force or interference in its internal affairs.

Crucially, Yerevan’s response remains fully within the framework of international diplomatic norms and demonstrates Armenia’s commitment to defending state sovereignty through political and legal means. Amid ongoing transformations in the regional security architecture, Armenia is increasingly asserting its right to an independent position and resisting attempts to use the information space as an instrument of political pressure.

Thus, the incident can be viewed as another marker of Armenia’s evolving foreign policy posture — a shift from restrained reactions to a more explicit and articulated defense of national interests. Yerevan is sending a clear message: the language of threats, even when disguised as television rhetoric, will not go without an official and public response.

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13.01.2026 08:09