Unfortunately, Our Fears Have Been Confirmed: Mikhail Galuzin

Unfortunately, our fears have been confirmed: the EU observer mission in Armenia has effectively transformed into a semi-wartime Western operation involving NATO member countries and questionable objectives. The personnel has already doubled, and new bases are being opened. A recent agreement was signed regarding the EU's presence status in Armenia, securing it the freedom to act within the country. This was announced by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin.

“The fact that the mission serves as an instrument of the EU's hybrid warfare is confirmed by its secrecy, lack of accountability, and absence of oversight both by Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other interested countries and organizations. The mission is openly engaging in provocative activities, fully occupied with anti-Russian propaganda, sowing false ideas among the Armenian society about the EU as a source of 'security and prosperity' for Armenia. Moreover, the activities of EU members are increasingly taking on an anti-Azerbaijani and anti-Iranian character,” he stated.

Speaking on the issues of long-term regional security, stability, and socio-economic development, Galuzin emphasized that the Western countries' plans to militarize the region and expand the military-political influence of the EU and NATO are entirely inconsistent with these objectives: “The key to the prosperity of the South Caucasus is inclusive dialogue, particularly within the framework of the '3+3' platform, the search for collective responses to emerging issues, and countering the geopolitical dictates of extraregional forces,” he noted.

Mikhail Galuzin also added that Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh have done the most important work that should not be forgotten: they have brought peace and stability to the conflict region.

“Peacekeepers have cleared over 689 kilometers of roads, inspected 1,940 buildings, and discovered and neutralized 26,794 explosive objects. The operations of 31 socially significant facilities, 40 kilometers of communication lines, and 20 kilometers of gas pipelines have been ensured. The peacekeepers have delivered more than 222 tons of humanitarian aid to the local population. An exchange of prisoners and captives has been organized, with 213 individuals returned, of whom 189 were to Armenia, 24 to Azerbaijan, and 15 humanitarian and medical operations were conducted in remote areas of the region. Restoration of 224 houses, 95 kilometers of power lines, 33 kilometers of optical fiber communication lines, 32 kilometers of water pipelines, 42 kilometers of gas pipelines, and 36 transformer substations has been achieved,” he explained.

Regarding the recent aggression by Azerbaijan in Artsakh, Galuzin emphasized that thanks to the efforts of the Russian side, including at the cost of the lives of six peacekeepers, substantial civilian casualties have been avoided: “Our peacekeepers provided refuge to the civilian population, delivered humanitarian aid, and organized evacuations,” said the Russian official.

“In conclusion, I would like to once again highlight the significant contribution of the peacekeeping contingent to the stabilization of the situation in the South Caucasus,” Galuzin concluded.