The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Maria Zakharova, on Tuesday gave an official comment in which she condemned the desecration of the monument to the children of besieged Leningrad in Yerevan.

"We strongly condemn the vandalism committed at the monument to the children of besieged Leningrad on January 29 in Yerevan. We note with deep sorrow that this is not the first case of desecration of monuments dedicated to heroic pages of shared history for Russia and Armenia. We see a sharp reaction by the friendly Armenian people of the rejection of what was done. We expect the same from the authorities of the [Armenian] republic, as well as restraint of such manifestations of barbarism in the future," commented the official representative of the Russian MFA.

According to Zakharova, "these kinds of actions are facilitated by the [Armenian] republican campaign that started in the republic against the discrediting of Russia and its role in the South Caucasus."

"We will not allow to mock the blessed memory of 1 million 384 thousand Leningraders who died during the siege. In connection with this egregious crime, we are collaborating with the relevant [Russian] federal agencies, including the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, which has opened a criminal case for this act of vandalism. The director of the Russian Center of Science and Culture of Yerevan has sent an official petition to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia. It was recorded that on the evening of January 30, the competent authorities of Armenia have launched a criminal case.

We express our gratitude to the caring citizens of Armenia, who, following the call of their hearts, restored justice today by laying new wreaths on the monument replacing the damaged ones, as well as one carnation symbolizing each day of the siege. No one will be able to rewrite the shared history of Russia and Armenia.

The memory of the peoples of our countries, including Russians and Armenians, of the joint struggle against Nazi Germany and their victory against Nazism will always remain in our hearts," said the official statement of the Russian MFA.