The Russian authorities are in touch with their Armenian counterparts, including regarding the situation surrounding the head of the Tashir group of companies, Samvel Karapetyan, who was arrested in Yerevan, said Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson of the Russian president, Kommersant reports.

“Yes, of course, we are in touch with our counterparts in Armenia, in Yerevan. He [i.e. Russian Armenian businessman and philanthropist] is our important ally. We have quite developed and multifaceted relations. And, of course, since Karapetyan is also a citizen of the Russian Federation, respective contacts are being carried out,” the Kremlin spox told reporters.

And commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statements about preventing a coup d’état in Armenia, Peskov said that this was an internal matter for Armenia.

“We [i.e. Russia] are, of course, interested in the maintaining of law and order in Armenia, and so that Armenia becomes a prosperous, stable country, a friend of Russia," added the Russian leader's spokesman.