Armenia Will Not Obstruct Entry of Russians and Will Help if Necessary, Says Alen Simonyan

YEREVAN — Armenian authorities do not intend to prohibit or obstruct the entry of Russian citizens into the country if a new mobilization is announced in Russia and they decide to travel to Armenia, Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan said.

Asked by Russian journalist Ekaterina Kotrikadze whether Armenia would be prepared to receive Russian citizens seeking to avoid being sent to the front, Simonyan replied:

“No one at the border is going to ask anyone why they have come here. As you know, people from Russia can travel to Armenia without an international passport. I can say only one thing to Russians: ‘Welcome to Armenia.’ We love and respect everyone here. They will find here what they were looking for when they came to Armenia, and they can return to Russia whenever it is convenient for them. Armenia will not obstruct them in any way, and if necessary, it will help.”

In recent months, various sources have actively circulated reports about the possibility of a new mobilization in Russia. Although the Kremlin on August 25 dismissed such reports as “information fakes,” it should be noted that Russian authorities also denied reports of preparations for mobilization before announcing the partial mobilization in September 2022.