Last week, it was announced that authorial messages by Vladimir Solovyov would no longer be broadcasted due to an agreement between the governments of Armenia and the Russian Federation. This decision comes after months of tensions between the administrations of Armenia and the RF. During a press conference on April 10, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mkhitar Hayrapetyan addressed the suspension of Solovyov’s messages. He explained that the negotiations aimed to sign a convention on addressing violations, but there has been no consensus on the content of the convention thus far. However, Hayrapetyan emphasized that diplomatic relations are not at an impasse, and that constructive efforts are being made to ensure sanctions are applied in case of future violations.

Hayrapetyan stated that the violations in Solovyov’s recent messages were the most significant in recent months, and that the Yerevan community believes broadcasts that harm the dignity and reputation of the Armenian people can be considered acts of hostility. He stressed the importance of preventing such actions and urged the Republic of Armenia to carefully assess the opponent’s version of the convention if their proposals are not accepted. According to NEWS.am, the authorial messages of “Erevan with Vladimir Solovyov” and “Sunday with Vladimir Solovyov” on the RF-controlled “RT-Russia Today” TV channel have been banned in Armenia since the end of March.