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Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev criticized Armenian authorities Sunday over a request to strip Prosperous Armenia party leader Gagik Tsarukyan of parliamentary immunity, accusing Yerevan of launching a "new round of repression" against opposition figures.
Medvedev, who also leads Russia's United Russia party, made the remarks in a statement released by the party's press service.
"We view this step as a new round of repression against opposition representatives who are inconvenient for the ruling elite," he said.
Medvedev also alleged Western interference in Armenia's recent parliamentary election and accused Western countries of remaining silent over pressure on the opposition.
Medvedev criticized Armenian authorities' request to remove Tsarukyan's parliamentary immunity, framing the step as part of wider pressure on opposition figures.
Tsarukyan leads the Prosperous Armenia party.
Medvedev said the move targeted opposition representatives who were "inconvenient for the ruling elite."
He argued that the development contradicted Armenian authorities' stated commitment to "protecting democratic principles."
Medvedev alleged that administrative resources had been widely used during Armenia's recent parliamentary election.
"Such attacks, along with the large-scale use of administrative resources, have become a hallmark of the recent elections in the republic, which fundamentally contradicts the authorities' assurances of their commitment to 'protecting democratic principles,'" he said.
He also accused Western countries of interference in the election campaign.
"All of this is happening amid complete silence from Western countries, whose interference in the election campaign has been unprecedented," Medvedev said.
"In the spirit of their favorite neocolonial practices, they have literally put Armenia's state apparatus on manual control," he added.
Medvedev questioned the presence of the head of the EU diplomatic mission at Armenia's Central Election Commission on election day.
"He was probably monitoring the 'democratic' nature of the procedures," Medvedev said.
"Or perhaps he was personally instructing how to process voter ballots to deny Prosperous Armenia the chance to enter parliament, contrary to the will of a significant portion of the country's citizens," he added.
Medvedev said the West views Armenia only as "a tool in its struggle against Russia."
He also claimed Western countries are interested in clearing Armenia's political field of forces that support healthy relations between Moscow and Yerevan.
Medvedev warned that cutting established ties with Russia would bring severe consequences for ordinary Armenian citizens.
"The inevitable severe consequences for ordinary citizens from severing ties that have been built over decades are of absolutely no interest to the EU," he said.
He said Moscow would judge the true intentions of Yerevan's leadership by its actions.
The comments came as tensions over Armenia's domestic politics and foreign policy direction continued to draw criticism from Moscow.
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