Solovyov’s suggestion of ‘special military operation’ in Armenia a ‘personal opinion’, Kremlin says
Russia has distanced itself from Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov’s suggestions made earlier in January that there could be a new ‘special military operation’ against Armenia or Central Asia. At a press briefing on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Solovyov’s comments were his ‘personal opinion’, adding that media had ‘deliberately presented the remarks in a provocative manner’.
Russia has consistently used the term ‘special military operation’ to refer to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, currently approaching the four-year mark.
Zakharova insisted Solovyov’s comments had been taken out of context and did not reflect the official Russian position, which she said had been ‘voiced dozens of times’ by Russia’s leadership.
‘Our country and the peoples of the South Caucasus and Central Asia have historically shared good-neighbourly relations, strategic partnership, alliance, fraternal friendship, and cooperation’, Zakharova added.
In an invective-filled monologue on his TV show on Sunday, Solovyov referenced the recent US intervention in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, a long-time ally of Russia.
‘For us, the developments in Armenia are far more painful than those in Venezuela. Losing Armenia is a huge problem’, Solovyov said.
‘We should get our goals straight. The time for games is over. To hell with international law and the global order […] If it was necessary for us to start a [special military operation] on the territory of Ukraine for our national security, why, based on the same considerations, we cannot start a [special military operation] in other points of our zone of influence?’.
In his comments, Solovyov also referred to Central Asia as ‘our Asia’, and suggested that a Westward drift in the region would be a ‘gigantic problem’.
Members of Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party quickly criticised Solovyov, and later on Monday, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry told Factor TV that Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin had been issued a summons.
Central Asian politicians and media figures also condemned the remarks, with Kyrgyz MP Dastan Bekeshev saying he had proposed declaring Solovyov a persona non grata in the country.
Despite Zakharova’s attempt to distance the Kremlin from Solovyov’s suggestion, she did not criticise him directly.
At the same time, Russian pro-government media outlets, such as the hawkish Tsargrad TV, have continued to smear Armenia and its Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan while defending Solovyov.
Reportedly, there was an effort for Solovyov to be removed as a result of the controversy, but it was blocked by Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Gromov.
Solovyov is no stranger to controversy, often relating to his hostile and aggressive comments about Ukraine and the West, such as repeated calls to use nuclear weapons against Kyiv and threats to attack EU capitals with missiles.
As Armenia’s relations with Russia have worsened, Solovyov has also criticised and insulted the government and Pashinyan, resulting in his TV show being blocked in Armenia in 2024.
Nate Ostiller
