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Armenia may shut down Russian television for political interference

Armenia may shut down Russian television for political interference Photo: Armenia may cut off Russian TV due to interference in internal affairs (Getty Images)
Author: Daryna Vialko

Armenia has raised the possibility of suspending the broadcast of Russian TV channels in the country’s national media space, stated the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, according to Mamul.am.

Commenting on the case of Samvel Karapetyan, the owner of the Tashir Group of Companies (a pro-Kremlin businessman), and its potential impact on relations between Yerevan and Moscow, Simonyan noted that a number of pro-Russian experts and media outlets have already been denied access to Armenia.

"Their shows have long been shut down in our country, and their entry is banned. But if their state television channels allow themselves to interfere in Armenia’s internal affairs, maybe we should also block their access to our citizens’ homes," the speaker said.

He also added that Russian TV hosts broadcast in Armenia "worsen the atmosphere and damage Armenian-Russian relations." Simonyan strongly criticized them, calling them "degenerates."

Samvel Karapetyan is a Russian billionaire of Armenian descent, owner and president of the Tashir Group of Companies. He moved to Russia and, in recent years, has been listed among the richest people in Russia by Forbes.

His business empire spans over 200 companies across various industries — construction, energy, real estate, trade, and manufacturing. The main assets are concentrated in Moscow and other Russian regions.