Zakharova: There can be no justification for mass extermination based  on ethnicity

ArmInfo. There can be no justification for mass extermination based on ethnicity, as stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova during a weekly briefing on April 24, on the occasion of the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

"Today, April 24, marks the 111th anniversary of the Armenian  Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.  According to Armenian historians,  more than 1.5 million people fell victim to the genocide, and over  600,000 were driven from their homes. Shrines were destroyed,  architectural monuments were destroyed. I want to emphasize that from  the very beginning, our country accepted this terrible tragedy as its  own grief," Zakharova stated. She recalled that numerous memorial  events and activities are held annually in Russian cities on this  day. "And today we express our deepest sympathy to the Armenian  people and mourn, as always, with them on this date," she continued.

At the same time, the diplomat reiterated that Russia's position on  this issue is consistent and objective   mass extermination based on  ethnicity cannot be justified. "Our country is a party to and  initiator of several relevant international legal instruments,  including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the  Crime of Genocide. And just recently, on April 19, we marked this  tragic date for the first time   the Day of Remembrance of the  Victims of the Genocide of the Soviet People, which is outlined in  our legislation," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated.

She emphasized that Russian diplomacy was at the forefront of  recognizing the tragic events of the first quarter of the 20th  century that befell the Armenian people as a crime against humanity.  Zakharova noted that modern Russia was one of the first countries in  the world to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide in the  Ottoman Empire in the relevant documents of the State Duma.

 "According to a 1995 document of the Lower House of the Russian  Legislative Assembly, today's date in our country is a tribute to the  memory of the innocent victims of this tragedy. We have always been  open to discussions on this topic; we have never hidden our position,  always shared our views, as they are not based on the current  situation, but rather on historical facts. Russian leadership,  including the highest, as well as official delegations, visit the  memorial built during the Soviet era in Yerevan dedicated to the  victims of the genocide. And, by the way, unlike some Western  partners who have turned their attention to Armenia today, we do not  remove publications about such gestures of support from social media  or information platforms. We also do not have a habit of avoiding the  word 'genocide'," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson  continued.

She added that in Russia, they know that April 24 holds enormous  spiritual, moral, and political significance for the friendly people  of Armenia and for the multi-million-strong Armenian diaspora in the  Russian Federation. For whom this is a sad day, not only a  commemorative date, but also a symbol of Armenian resilience, unity,  commitment to their historical values, and the preservation of their  identity.

It's worth noting that US Vice President J.D. Vance visited the  Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in January during his visit to  Armenia. Following his visit, he posted a message about it on his  social media accounts. The post was subsequently deleted, sparking  widespread public outcry.