On May 28, Maria Zakharova, the Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated during a briefing that Moscow is concerned about plans to dismantle a memorial in the village of Artik in Armenia’s Shirak region dedicated to those who died in the Great Patriotic War. She linked the situation to what she described as a broader trend of revising historical memory across the CIS space. Zakharova said that, according to available information, local authorities in Artik intend to remove the monument to Soviet soldiers and replace it with a fountain, while questioning the rationale behind the decision. "As we understand it, the leadership of the village of Artik—as well as higher-ranking authorities—intend to carry out their plans regarding the memorial dedicated to the townspeople who died in the Great Patriotic War. And, as we understand, the plan is to erect a fountain on the site of this memorial," Zakharova stated.

She further emphasized that Russia did not understand why an alternative location could not be selected for the new structure, and said there was uncertainty over whether the monument would be relocated or simply dismantled. "Naturally, one is compelled to ask: is there no other place for a fountain? Moreover, there remains a lack of clarity as to whether the monument will simply be dismantled or relocated to a different site—something our colleagues in Armenia had previously given assurances about," Zakharova stated. According to Zakharova, there is public opposition within Armenia to the planned removal; however, she claimed that Armenian authorities had not responded to citizens’ appeals. She characterized the issue as part of a wider process of historical reinterpretation, stating: "The situation involving this particular memorial also points to a more dangerous trend—one that can be characterized as a global rewriting of historical memory." She also referenced earlier incidents in Armenia, including what she described as statements on Armenian state television that allegedly justified Nazism, noting that Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had previously called for the issue to be examined, though she claimed no follow-up had occurred.

Zakharova further criticized the visit of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, to Yerevan, saying: "Subsequently, neo-Nazism arrived in Yerevan in the guise of Zelenskyy—the very same Zelenskyy who has trampled upon the memory of his own ancestors and issued threats to strike Red Square during the Victory Parade," she declared. In addition, she stated that references to the "Great Patriotic War" have been increasingly removed from draft CIS documents submitted by Yerevan, calling the trend concerning given Armenia’s historical role in the Second World War. Zakharova concluded by saying she believed Armenian society remained committed to preserving historical memory and warned that "for those countries and peoples that forget their history have no future."

In the same briefing, Zakharova also commented on Armenia’s relations with Russia, stating that Moscow continues to view Armenia as a partner despite what she described as a growing gap between Yerevan’s statements and actions. "We hear statements from Armenian officials regarding Yerevan's intention to preserve its relations with Russia… However, we are accustomed to judging not merely by words, but also by deeds. And for some reason, those deeds are increasingly diverging from the aforementioned words," Zakharova stated. She added that Russia does not oppose Armenia’s diversification of foreign relations but argued that the current trajectory cannot be considered balanced. She reaffirmed that Moscow regards Armenia as a "natural partner in the South Caucasus" and described the Armenian people as a "brotherly nation," stating that Russia seeks peace and prosperity for them.

Zakharova also addressed Armenia’s reported decision not to accredit several Russian observers for upcoming parliamentary elections, expressing "deep regret and bewilderment" over the move. She said Armenian authorities had informally indicated that the inclusion of certain Russian citizens in the observer mission was undesirable, naming three State Duma deputies and a representative of an election commission as affected individuals. According to her, the decision was difficult to understand given that the individuals had previously visited Armenia without issue. Zakharova suggested that the decision may be linked to their inclusion on EU sanctions lists, describing it as a gesture of alignment with European partners, and stated that Moscow would take the matter into account in future relations with Yerevan.