Today.Az - Russia responds harshly to Armenians' accusation about withdrawal of RPC from Garabagh

Today.az reports, citing Day.az that in the video, representatives of the Russian authorities were asked during one of the round tables why the peacekeepers abandoned the Armenians to their fate. It was asked (apparently at the direction of the Armenian Diaspora) by a certain Father Arseny, who claimed that he had nothing to answer to the Armenian parishioners.

In response, Zakharova asked a counter, logical question, "Who left first?" (the Armenians - ed.) and stressed that the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent (RPC) kept its word.

"This is the best example of Russia giving its word and keeping it. And all this against the background of the SVO in Ukraine, where there was a need for these soldiers and military personnel on some flanks. They were desperately needed there. And they didn't leave. And the people left. What should I tell you? So answer me - where at home, there should be a person. Ask if we've talked about this? Of course they did. Because these questions are asked to me both officially and informally at briefings. You need to hear what they say in Baku. They said that no one in any case raises the question that people cannot return. We must use this," Zakharova said, putting the pro-Armenian cleric in his place.

Then Tolstoy joined the conversation, adding to Zakharova's words that when there was fighting in Karabakh, Armenian deputies begged Russia to intervene and stop the war.

"Please stop, we have guys with no arms, no legs. Anything to stop the war, young people are being killed here. And when we are reproached for not entering into some kind of military confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia and not defending Garabagh, it seems to me that the Armenian society should ask itself the question - will Armenia exist without Russia at all? This is my deep conviction that there will be no Armenia without Russia," said Pyotr Tolstoy, finally shutting Arseny up.

Recall that the Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan in accordance with the third paragraph of the joint statement of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia and the Prime Minister of Armenia dated November 10, 2020. The supreme leadership of both countries decided on the early withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the territory of Azerbaijan.

On May 15, Baku stated that after the local anti-terrorist measures carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in September last year, the need for a peacekeeping mission in Karabakh disappeared.

According to the statement dated November 10, the period of stay of the peacekeeping contingent in the Republic of Azerbaijan ended in 2025.