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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared a "historic victory" after his Civil Contract party secured 49.82% of the vote in Sunday's parliamentary election, according to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission.
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed the vote was held amid "unprecedented pressure on the opposition and interference from the West, primarily the EU."
In a statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, Zakharova said: "On June 7, parliamentary elections were held in Armenia amid unprecedented pressure on the opposition and interference from the West, primarily the EU."
She said the entire campaign and voting process unfolded under "harsh repression" against opposition parties and movements, their activists and supporters, and that the Armenian Apostolic Church, "traditionally deeply revered in the country," had also faced persecution.
She called this "a gross trampling by Yerevan of democratic principles and procedures for holding free elections."
Zakharova noted that the parties subjected to repression were those advocating for Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and opposing what she described as a "dead-end course" toward the European Union.
She also claimed Pashinyan's support had "noticeably declined" compared to the previous electoral cycle.
"As for Moscow's further line in dealings with Armenia, we intend to build our course taking into account the real steps of the Armenian leadership," Zakharova said.
Pashinyan addressed reporters early Monday following the results.
"I extend my gratitude to all my colleagues in the party. We worked day and night, and this is a victory of history. This victory belongs to the Armenian people," he said.
Strong Armenia, led by billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who is under house arrest on charges he describes as politically motivated, finished second with 23.28%. Former President Robert Kocharyan's Armenia Alliance placed third with 9.93%.
Pashinyan pledged to pursue a balanced foreign policy.
"We will continue the course of rapprochement with the West. We will also continue our membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. We will continue to develop our relations with Russia," he said.
He also expressed hope the result would "draw a positive response from Türkiye and Azerbaijan" and said his priority was to "institutionalise peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan."
He fell short of the two-thirds supermajority needed to pass constitutional amendments required by Baku as a precondition for signing a final peace treaty, a goal analysts described as politically significant.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Pashinyan, telling him: "Armenia can count on us." She described the result as evidence that "the spirit of the Velvet Revolution you led in 2018 is alive and well" and said the EU "deeply values our partnership with a democratic Armenia that is drawing ever closer to Europe."
French President Emmanuel Macron said the result would boost "momentum toward closer ties with Europe."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the victory one for Armenia's "sovereignty, your independence, and your right to live the way you choose," and called on the EU to "provide real support to Armenia" in the period ahead.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed "heartfelt congratulations" and said he looked forward to continued close cooperation.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu also congratulated Pashinyan, saying his victory came "despite massive foreign interference."
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev offered a more measured statement, saying elections were held "openly and under proper conditions" and expressing readiness to continue cooperation with Yerevan.
Turnout was 59%. About 1.47 million out of approximately 2.5 million registered voters cast ballots at 2,005 polling stations nationwide.
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