Sergei Kopyrkin, Russia's Ambassador to Armenia

Russia acknowledged that there have been “issues” in fulfilling certain aspects of military contracts with Armenia, a point recently used by certain Armenian government officials in the rhetoric, which has deepened a wedge between Yerevan and Moscow.

In an interview with the Tass news agency, published on Friday, Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopyrkin, seemed to imply that Russian defense companies have not fulfilled their contractual obligations on time because they have had to manufacture more weapons and other military equipment for the Russian military.

“Military-technical cooperation between our countries has a long tradition and is based on the agreement on military-technical cooperation between Russia and Armenia signed on June 25, 2013. Nearly all signed contracts are either completed on time and high quality, or are in the final phase of fulfillment,” Kopyrkin told Tass.

“In terms of certain individual contracts there are indeed issues related to the obligations on fulfilling the state order by Russian enterprises in the defense sector, however these are working issues that are resolved during dialogue between respective government agencies of Russia and Armenia,” the Ambassador added.

He said that Armenia and Russia are discussing the signing of new military-technical cooperation agreements.

The Russian envoy seemed upbeat about the state of Moscow-Yerevan relations, which have been steadily deteriorating in recent years, following the 2020 War, and especially after Armenian authorities blamed Russia and its peacekeepers for inaction during Azerbaijan’s September attack on Artsakh, which forced the displacement of its Armenian population. Yerevan also contends that Moscow did not step up when Azerbaijan breached Armenia’s sovereign border, especially during an attack in September 2022.

“We believe that the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia remain partners and strategic allies, united by common interests, a common history and similar views on international problem, and that this alliance corresponds to the fundamental interests of both participants,” Kopyrkin said.

“Of course, it cannot be denied that there are certain differences in our bilateral and multilateral agenda,” the Russian Ambassador said. “Both the Russian and Armenian sides are ready to discuss any contentious topics frankly and in a constructive atmosphere, as befits allies.”