“That is not support for Russia, although it is important for us that our colleagues in the CSTO and CIS support our initiatives. That is first and foremost support for the Syrian people and the Syrian state,” Russian Federation Council member Igor Morozov told reporters regarding the Armenian soldiers in Syria. Morozov saw similarities between how Russian soldiers were sent to Syria and how Soviet troops stood beside Afghanistan in 1979 according to international norms.
Igor Morozov thinks that comments that Armenia sent an armed group to Syria because Russia demanded that it do so. “Every state leads according to its own state and national interests. Armenia has a large diaspora in Syria. This step was even taken too late; it should have been taken earlier back in 2015. After the genocide, Syria accepted Armenians, and so Armenians are in debt to Syrians. Armenia was the one who made that decision. Armenia is a sovereign state and it sent a humanitarian mission to Syria. The decision was made by Armenia’s independent government,” Morozov said, calling the fact that Armenia followed Russia’s call and sent a humanitarian mission to Syria a “big deal.”
Nelly Grigoryan
