If people make such a statement without presenting facts, and, moreover, specifically mention the country and do not speak as a trend, but directly present an ambition to the country, then be kind enough to confirm it with facts. After all, the facts that are referred to as if they happened; well, show, tell. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said this at Thursday’s press briefing—and commenting on the recent statement by the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, who had noted that Russia was forcing Armenia to provide a corridor to Azerbaijan and to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

"Who are the people referring to when they talk about it? That they are being forced? What facts do they cite? Are there any facts about how the coercion took place? In a friendly situation? Around a glass of red wine? Or was that coercion harsh? How did they force [it]? It is necessary, right, to understand how it happened? (…).

Do you understand that there should be at least some facts? If people make such a statement without presenting facts, and, moreover, specifically mention the country and do not speak as a trend, but directly present an ambition to the country, then be kind enough to confirm it with facts. After all, the facts that are referred to as if they happened; well, show, tell. Then it will be possible to say something in addition to what was said by the press secretary of the Russian President that none of the Russian officials ever said anything like that. I mean the joining of Armenia to the Union State [of Russia and Belarus].

Well, the assessments on all such expressions have been given. And once again: at least something should be presented? And, by the way, the same can be said about the claim that we [i.e., Russia] are allegedly imposing on Yerevan a certain corridor [to Azerbaijan] through the territory of Armenia that is not controlled by it. This is fake [news] which we have also talked about many times. According to the statement of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia on January 11, 2021, within the framework of the tripartite working group for unblocking all economic and transport communications in the region, various ways of opening communications are being discussed, including regarding the restoration of the railway branch in the south of Armenia. One of the principles of that work, which neither Yerevan nor Baku disputes, is that the sovereignty of the routes belongs to the country through whose territory it passes," Zakharova said.