Russian state television host Vladimir Solovyov called for a potential Russian military intervention in Armenia during a broadcast on Sunday. Solovyov, one of the Kremlin’s most prominent propagandists, suggested that Russia could justify launching a “special military operation,” the term Moscow uses for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, against Armenia.
During his broadcast, Solovyov compared the situation in Armenia to the recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, a long-time Russian ally. “For us, the developments in Armenia are far more painful than those in Venezuela. Losing Armenia is a huge problem,” he said.
“We should get our goals straight. The time for games is over. To hell with international law and the global order.
If it was necessary for us to start a “special military operation” on the territory of Ukraine for our national security, why, based on the same considerations, can’t we start a “special military operation” in other points of our zone of influence?” Solovyov added.
He also referred to Central Asia as “our Asia” and warned that any westward drift in the region would be a “gigantic problem.”
Summoning the Russian Ambassador and Calls to Revoke State Award
In response to Solovyov’s remarks, the Russian ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopyrkin, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a formal letter of protest, Armenian MFA spokesperson Ani Badalyan said.
“The letter emphasized that the statements aired on a program belonging to the state media constitute an unacceptable encroachment on Armenia’s sovereignty and a hostile act, grossly violating the fundamental principles of friendly relations between Armenia and Russia”, the Armenian MFA spokesperson told Armenpress.
Arusyak Julhakyan, a Civil Contract MP, called the comments a “hostile manifestation towards Armenia” and argued that at minimum, the Order of Honour, a state award given to Solovyov in 2013 by then-President Serzh Sargsyan for contributions to Armenian-Russian friendship should be revoked.
Asked whether Solovyov could actually be stripped of the award in an interview with Factor TV, Taguhi Ghazaryan, another Civil Contract MP, replied that while no specific decision has been made, the matter will of course be discussed. She added that the existing problems and public disagreements in Armenia-Russia relations are not a sign of weakness, but rather an indication of a new quality in the relationship.
Tigran Hakobyan, head of Armenia’s Television and Radio Commission, also criticized Solovyov on Facebook.
“Today, the person who supposedly made a ‘significant contribution’ is calling for a special military operation against our country to ‘not lose Armenia,’” Hakobyan wrote, referencing Solovyov’s remarks and comparing them to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He highlighted the human cost of the Ukrainian war: “Hundreds of towns and villages razed, millions displaced, decades of environmental damage, murdered children, hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of disabled people, a once-thriving country turned into hell.”
Hakobyan argued that Armenia should at least strip Solovyov of the Order of Honor award. “A person who regularly threatens Armenia and the Armenian people, wishes disasters upon our country, and is generally a misanthropic madman cannot be worthy of one of Armenia’s highest state awards. This is our shame,” he wrote.
Solovyov’s History of Hostility
Solovyov has a long record of aggressive statements, particularly regarding Ukraine and the West, including calls to use nuclear weapons and threats against EU capitals. As Armenia’s ties with Russia have deteriorated, he has repeatedly insulted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian government, leading to his TV show being blocked in Armenia in 2024.
Armenia’s Television and Radio Broadcasting Network explained the move by stating that Solovyov’s daily programs had systematically violated a 2020 Russian-Armenian agreement. The pact had allowed the Russia-1 channel to remain in Armenia’s national digital package, accessible to viewers nationwide, but included provisions banning ‘offensive content against peoples and national values’ and ‘interference in domestic political life.’
In 2025, he described the Armenian government as “corrupt, vile, worthless” and accused it of betraying “the history of Armenia,” while mocking Pashinyan with the nickname “Turkol.”
In response, Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan condemned Solovyov’s remarks, calling them a direct attempt to interfere in Armenia’s internal affairs. Simonyan said:
“This pathetic little TV freak thinks he has the right to call the country’s leader vile names, incite the people of Armenia to political action against the legitimately elected government, play on emotions, wrap all this cheap nonsense in a pitiful act, and still expect that simply saying ‘this isn’t interference in internal affairs’ will make it all acceptable? This is direct interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Armenia, a conscious spread of hatred and insults towards its leadership and people.”
He added that such broadcasts “cause serious damage to the relations between our countries and only provoke deep disgust among the population of Armenia,” and urged Russian colleagues to respond with a “clear apology on the same channel.”
Solovyov has also previously suggested military action in the South Caucasus. In August 2025, he warned that a new “special military operation” might be needed to prevent a NATO base from being established on the Caspian Sea.
