Russia’s Foreign Ministry: We do not shy away from the word ‘genocide’ as Armenia marks 111th anniversary

Russia does not shy away from calling the 1915 events a genocide, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday, as Armenia marked the 111th anniversary of the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

At a press briefing, Maria Zakharova offered condolences to Armenians and cited figures from Armenian historians, saying more than 1.5 million people were victims and more than 600,000 were expelled from their homes, with holy places and architectural monuments destroyed.

She said Russia has long regarded the tragedy as its own grief, with commemorations held annually in Russian cities. Zakharova described Russia’s stance as objective and consistent, asserting that mass extermination on the basis of ethnicity cannot be justified.

She added that Russia is a party, and an initiator, to several international legal instruments relevant to the issue, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. She also noted that on April 19, for the first time, Russia marked the day of remembrance of the victims of the genocide of the Soviet people, a date enshrined in national legislation.

According to her, Russian diplomacy was at the forefront of recognizing the early 20th-century events affecting Armenians as crimes against humanity. She said modern Russia was among the first countries to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide in documents of the State Duma.

A 1995 statement by the lower house, she noted, treats April 24 in Russia as a day of remembrance for the innocent victims of this tragedy. Zakharova said members of Russia’s leadership and official delegations have visited the Yerevan memorial complex, built during the Soviet years and dedicated to the victims.

In pointed remarks, she contrasted this with “some Western partners” who, she claimed, have turned their attention to Armenia but remove posts about such gestures of support from social media or news platforms. “We don’t shy away from the word ‘genocide,’” she said.

She added that April 24 carries enormous spiritual, moral, and political significance for Armenians and for the multi-million Armenian diaspora in Russia, framing the day not only as one of remembrance but as a symbol of resilience, unity, and devotion to historical traditions and identity.