Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented on the arrest of Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan during her weekly briefing in response to a journalist’s question.

According to her, Moscow is closely following the developments in Gyumri, as it is Armenia’s second-largest city, hosting Russia’s 102nd military base, the Russian Consulate General, and a branch of “Rossotrudnichestvo.” Zakharova noted that the city authorities are actively developing cooperation with various regions of the Russian Federation. Gyumri is also home to the “Hill of Honor” memorial complex, dedicated to Russian officers who died during the Russo-Turkish wars.

The diplomat recalled that in August, the Council of Heads of CIS Member States awarded Gyumri the honorary title of “City of Labor Glory of 1941–1945.”

“We, of course, value Russian-Armenian relations and always support those who uphold the traditionally close ties between our peoples. As for the mayor’s arrest, that is, of course, an internal matter of Armenia. However, we have noticed that criminal cases have previously been initiated against the heads of Vanadzor, Berd, Goris, and other communities, some of whom were arrested. We hope that such proceedings will not lead to a breakdown of trust between the judicial system and the public. In fact, the Prime Minister of Armenia recently spoke about this at the Armenian Democracy Forum,” Zakharova stated.

According to her, this topic is particularly relevant given that Armenia is entering a new electoral cycle — the next parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 2026.