Moscow - On Friday Sep 8th, Russia summoned the Armenian ambassador for a stern protest regarding what it described as a series of "unfriendly actions," marking the latest indication of tension between Moscow and the small former Soviet republic situated in a region that Russia considers its sphere of influence.
In an official statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry listed these actions as follows: Armenia's decision to join the International Criminal Court, its hosting of a military exercise with the United States, and a visit to Ukraine by the Armenian prime minister's wife for the purpose of delivering humanitarian aid.
The ministry reported that it conveyed a strong message to Ambassador Vagharshak Harutyunyan, also expressing concern about alleged "offensive remarks" made by Alen Simonyan, the Chair of the Armenian National Assembly, directed towards Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base and is heavily reliant on Russia for its defense supplies, has recently voiced strong grievances. It has criticized Russian peacekeepers for failing to alleviate an Azerbaijani blockade of essential supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnically Armenian region within Azerbaijan.
Armenia has also openly questioned its commitment to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led military alliance comprising six former Soviet republics.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in an interview published on Sunday, described Armenia's policy of depending solely on Russia for security as a strategic error. He argued that Moscow, preoccupied with its conflict in Ukraine, had been unable to fulfill its obligations and was diminishing its role in the South Caucasus.
Russia, in response, asserted its intention to remain the primary guarantor of security in the Caucasus, which includes Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated as both accused each other on Thursday of deploying troops near their shared border, intensifying concerns about the future of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.
A foreign policy advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed to Reuters that Azerbaijan was prepared to permit the entry of Red Cross aid from Armenia into Nagorno-Karabakh if Red Crescent aid from Azerbaijan was concurrently allowed.
It's worth noting that in March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging war crimes in Ukraine. The Kremlin has dismissed these allegations, stating that Russia does not recognize the court's jurisdiction.