They Will Think Twice When They See the Russian Flag in Kapan,” Says Paltov

The opening of the Russian Consulate General in Kapan is not merely the diplomatic representation of Russia but much more than that. According to a report from Sputnik Armenia, this statement was made by Sergey Paltov, Deputy Director of the Fourth Department of the CIS Countries at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a meeting with the governor of Syunik.

He noted that the first group of Russian diplomats could be in Syunik as early as this autumn. The deployment of diplomats will initially take place without the full opening of the Consulate General, as certain procedures and time are required between the foreign ministries of both countries. However, according to Paltov, the Russian delegation has already seen the building and areas designated for the consulate where the diplomats can be accommodated.

“This is a very important step. The presence of our diplomats in Sisian and Goris, together with border guards, military personnel, and Russian institutions, is an additional guarantee of security. They will think twice when they see the Russian flag and diplomats actively moving between Goris, Kapan, Sisian, and Meghri,” he stated.

Paltov also mentioned that today about 1,000 Russian citizens are working in the region, and all of them need consular services, as reaching Yerevan every time is not convenient. He added that the consular services here will be more extensive.

It should be noted that on May 28, it was announced that the Russian Federation would open a consulate in the Syunik region. The Counsellor-Envoy of the Russian Embassy in Armenia, Maxim Seleznyov, stated in an interview on June 15 that the timelines for opening the Russian consulate in Kapan have not yet been clarified, but the Russian side is trying to expedite the process.