Armenia warned Russia: “Stop threatening us”

Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan spoke harshly to the Russian leadership. This is how he responded to the words of Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Galuzin that Yerevan’s rash steps could make it impossible to return to joint work to create a single defense space.

“First of all, stop threatening us. Stop talking about the CSTO. When they talk about the Organization, let them come and say where the CSTO border is, what obligations it has both as a partner of the CSTO and as a party to the Armenia-Russia treaty. Stop making such statements regarding our sovereign territory,” Simonyan said.

Let us recall that on February 23, in an interview with France24, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced the freezing of Armenia’s participation in the pro-Russian CSTO bloc.

“The collective security agreement, in our opinion, was not implemented in relation to Armenia, especially in 2021-2022. We have suspended our participation in this agreement,” Pashinyan stated.

On May 8, the Armenian Foreign Ministry announced that the country will not participate in financing the CSTO in 2024.

Последние новости
US Congressman Calls Kobakhidze’s Meeting with Iranian President an “Insult to Trump”
Politics
US Congressman Calls Kobakhidze’s Meeting with Iranian President an “Insult to Trump”
18 October 2026

American Republican Congressman Joe Wilson has criticized Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze for holding talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The meeting took place in Yerevan on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

Drone alert declared across southern Russia this evening
News
Drone alert declared across southern Russia this evening
17 October 2026

On the evening of 17 October, a drone alert was declared again in several districts of Krasnodar Krai. The warning covered Anapa, Gelendzhik, Novorossiysk, Abinsky, Krymsky and Temryuksky districts. Earlier in the day, alerts had also been issued in Sochi, Tuapse municipal district and Mostovsky district.

Residents over 55 in Karachay-Cherkessia five times more likely to visit online learning websites
Society
Residents over 55 in Karachay-Cherkessia five times more likely to visit online learning websites
17 October 2026

In the third quarter of 2026, monthly internet traffic to educational websites in Karachay-Cherkessia was 1.3 times higher than in the first quarter. Among users aged over 55, the figure increased fivefold, according to a study by telecommunications operator MegaFon and the Skillbox educational group.

Reporters Without Borders condemns forced detention of Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief
Human rights
Reporters Without Borders condemns forced detention of Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief
17 October 2026

Sergei Sokolov was taken to Russia’s Investigative Committee and held in the building for around three hours, despite having been officially summoned for questioning as a witness. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the incident as a new stage in the pressure on one of Russia’s last independent media outlets.