Russia Condemns Armenia's 'Unfriendly' Actions, Sparks Harsh Protest

Russia has summoned the Armenian ambassador to protest against a series of "unfriendly steps" taken by Armenia, including signing up to the International Criminal Court, hosting a military exercise with the United States, and a visit to Ukraine by the Armenian prime minister's wife. Armenia, heavily reliant on Russia for defense supplies, has expressed dissatisfaction with Russian peacekeepers' failure to end an Azerbaijani blockade of supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has criticized Armenia's reliance on Russia for security, while Moscow insists on remaining the principal guarantor of security in the Caucasus. Tensions have risen between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the future of Nagorno-Karabakh, with both sides accusing each other of moving troops near their joint border.