Armenia could ban Russian television broadcasts if Moscow continues ignoring Yerevans requests for more balanced coverage, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyansaid Tuesday.We expect the broadcasts of Russian TV channels to respect the citizens and the state system of Armenia, Pashinyansaid during a marathon press conference, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
We ask for a respectful attitude toward Armenia and its interests.Russian state television has regularly aired attacks on Armenias leadership and policies since relations between the two countries soured overMoscows failure to prevent Azerbaijan from seizing control over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region last fall.
Russia had maintained a peacekeeping mission in the region following a brief war between Baku and Yerevan in 2020.Independent Russian media previously reported that the Kremlin hadordered state media and lawmakers to blame Armenia for Azerbaijans attack in September 2023.Armenia issued a 30-daysuspensionin December for the local branch of the Kremlin-funded Russian broadcaster Sputnik over remarks by the pro-Kremlin TV personality Tigran Keosayan, who is the husband of RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan.Likewise, the Armenian authoritiesblocked pro-Kremlin TV host Vladimir Solovyovs shows in March over continuous violations.According to Interfax, Pashinyan threatened Tuesday that if the numerous demands are ignored, theres no other way [but for] all these [Russian] TV channels to be switched off and not broadcast in Armenia.Weve already asked and demanded seven and more times, and we will demand two more times.
If not, then lets put on record what our next step will be, he said.Since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has stepped back from its role as a regional power broker as it has been forced to redirect most of its military and resources toward its war effort.