Hybrid attacks, including from Russia, are clearly being used against  Armenia.- RA FM

ArmInfo. Hybrid attacks, including from Russia, are clearly being used against Armenia. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this in a  conversation with journalists in the Armenian parliament, addressing  allegations that Russia is allegedly carrying out hybrid attacks  against Armenia.

He also stated that Armenian journalists are also becoming part of  this attack, some consciously, some unknowingly, when spreading  disinformation. "Could some of these attacks be directed at a  specific country? Of course, they can," he said, accusing Russian  political and expert circles of voicing opinions that interfere in  Armenia's internal affairs. 

Mirzoyan also acknowledged that combating hybrid attacks is an  unfamiliar challenge for the Armenian authorities. Regarding the  appeal to the EU for assistance in combating hybrid threats ahead of  the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 7, the Armenian Foreign  Minister stated that there are circles in the country who are ill at  the mere mention of the EU, and that if, for example, such a group  had been summoned from Madagascar, there wouldn't have been such a  fuss.

"I want to disappoint you, because under all Armenian authorities,  during the electoral processes, Armenia has requested assistance,  including from the EU, and received it," he noted.

When asked whether Armenia is ready to accept Russian assistance in  this matter, Mirzoyan noted that if Russia has relevant experience,  official Yerevan is ready to consider it.

Recall that Radio Liberty previously reported that they had obtained  a letter from Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to Brussels,  in which he "requested that a rapid response team be sent to Yerevan  to counter Kremlin disinformation and Russian interference in the  parliamentary elections in Armenia." In this regard, it was recalled  that the EU sent a similar group of approximately 20 people to  Chisinau during last year's parliamentary elections "to help the  Moldovan authorities identify and counter disinformation emanating  from Russia on social media." It should be added that the EU's top  diplomat, Kaja Kallas, had previously announced the allocation of 15  million euros to Armenia to "counter Russian propaganda."

On March 4, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova  expressed her readiness to send a similar European mission to Armenia  if Yerevan so desired.