Russia always perceived Armenian Genocide as its own grief, says Moscow

Russia has always perceived the Armenian Genocide as its own grief, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said.

“April 24 marks the 110th anniversary of the greatest tragedy of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide, and the Russian Federation has always perceived the grief of the brotherly Armenian nation as its own,” Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing in Moscow.

Zakharova said Armenian Genocide commemoration events take place in Moscow and multiple other Russian cities.

“In 1915, at the initiative of the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Sazonov, the international community actors described what had happened as a crime against humanity. According to historical accounts, in 1915, the Russian Imperial Caucasian Army, at the order of Nicolas II, opened the Russian-Turkish border and saved more than 350,000 Armenians,” Zakharova said.

Russia was one of the first countries to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, Zakharova said. She recalled President Putin’s 2015 Armenia visit for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. 

The Russian State Duma recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1995.