in Russian – https://aga-tribunal.info/mfa-11-2-2021/

in Armenian – https://aga-tribunal.info/hy/mfa-11-2-2021-hy/

Source: Armenpress, February 11, 2021 Translation by AGA-Tribunal.info.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova spoke upon the desecration by Azerbaijanis of a monument to the victims of the Great Patriotic War in the village of Avetaranots, Askeran region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

During the weekly briefing, Zakharova noted that desecration of monuments, especially those related to the Great Patriotic War, is considered absolutely unacceptable in Russia: “Our principled position regarding desecration of monuments is well known – any desecration of monuments is unacceptable, and when it comes to monuments to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, here in general, in principle, there can be no other position.”

Referring to the act of vandalism with the participation of Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh, Zakharova noted: “As soon as we received the relevant information, we contacted our Azerbaijani colleagues, and they assured us that acts of vandalism, destruction of cemeteries and monuments erected to fallen soldiers during the Great Patriotic War and dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, were timely recorded from the Azerbaijani side, an investigation is underway to identify such actions, and those who commit acts of vandalism are brought to justice, such actions are categorically suppressed and absolutely discouraged.

It seems to me that such a phenomenon, a terrible phenomenon of the 21st century, should be condemned by all states whose peoples gave their lives in order for us to have a future. Therefore, let us all work together in this direction, ”the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.