On January 30, the Russian Embassy in Armenia called the desecration of wreaths at the monument to the Children of the Siege of Leningrad in Yerevan a cynical provocation.

In a statement, it is said that such actions can hardly be regarded otherwise as an expression of open abuse of the memory of the victims of this tragedy and the heroes who defended the city. "The author of the video trampled not the wreaths laid at the memorial on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade, but the tribute of respect and gratitude to the best features of the Armenian people, which they symbolize," the diplomatic mission noted. "The degree of the immorality of those who publicly express open contempt not only for those tragic events and their victims but also for the memory of their own ancestors is beyond comprehension," the Embassy added.

"According to researchers' calculations, more than 100 thousand Armenians fought in the ranks of the multinational defenders of Leningrad, 4 thousand of whom were volunteers and ten of them were awarded the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union," the Russian diplomats reminded. "We are glad that our assessment is shared in the Armenian society, as evidenced by the massive outrage in social networks against this ugly act. The Embassy expresses hope that these actions will receive the appropriate legal qualification from the Armenian authorities, and those involved in this provocation will be brought to justice," the statement emphasized.

Notably, the day before, a video of a certain Samvel Shirinyan appeared in the Armenian segment of social networks, showing him tearing off ribbons with the Russian tricolor, trampling them, and overturning the wreaths laid at the monument to the Children of the Siege of Leningrad in a park in Yerevan. Later, the Armenian Prosecutor General's Office reported that the Russian Center for Science and Culture (RCSC) in Yerevan had received an appeal about the desecration of the monument with a request to inspect to initiate a criminal case, assuring that it would be followed up in accordance with the law. Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia Alexander Bastrykin instructed to initiate a criminal case in connection with the desecration of the monument to the Children of the Siege of Leningrad in Yerevan.