Moscow on Thursday said Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijani's takeover of the region had nothing to fear, an apparent rejection of Armenia's claims of ethnic cleansing in the disputed territory.
"It's difficult to say who is to blame [for the exodus], there is no direct reason for such actions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"People are nevertheless expressing a desire to leave... those who made such a decision should be provided with normal living conditions," Peskov added.
Yerevan said more than half of Nagorno-Karabakh's population of 120,000 had left by Thursday afternoon.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned of "ethnic cleansing" in the region and called on the international community to take action.
Pashinyan has also criticized Russia's peacekeeping force for failing to intervene when Azerbaijan last week launched its lightning offensive to regain control of Nagorno-Karabakh, accusations which Moscow denies.
Peskov reacted tepidly to the announcement that the ethnic Armenian statelet would "cease to exist" by the end of the year.
"We have taken notice of this and are closely monitoring the situation. Our peacekeepers continue to assist people," Peskov said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
