At the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation rebellious cynical accusations around the tragedy and denied the participation of Russian structures in the events on the Surmalu market. They also reminded that the Russian side took an active role in eliminating the consequences of the explosion.
“We are outraged by the cynical information circulating in the local information area containing abusive and unfounded accusations of involvement in Russian structures in the tragedy that occurred on the territory of the Surmalu shopping center on August 14,” the embassy’s press service said. Declaration.
The Russian diplomatic mission considers the accusations a direct provocation by “the political forces behind such insinuations aimed at undermining Russian-Armenian allied relations”. The Ministry expects a series of steps from the Armenian authorities to suppress public comments on this issue and such hostile manifestations.
They also noted that the Russian-Armenian Humanitarian Center was involved in the work to eliminate the consequences of the tragedy from the very first minutes.
The explosion at the Surmalu market in Yerevan occurred in the afternoon of August 14. A pyrotechnic tank exploded in the building, causing the structures to collapse, killing 16 people, including a pregnant woman and her young child, according to the mayor’s statement. 62 more people were injured, the fate of 18 people is not yet known. Among the missing was a citizen of the Russian Federation, but was found later. As of the morning of August 16, five victims remained in Yerevan hospitals. According to Knara Gonyan, head of the medical care policy department of the Ministry of Health of Armenia, patients with fractures of the upper extremities remain in hospitals, undergo surgery. The victims’ condition is now assessed as satisfactory.
Later, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding the tragedy in Yerevan.
“Please accept our deepest condolences for the death of people as a result of a fire in a shopping mall in Yerevan. I request you to convey my sincere condolences and words of support to the families of the victims and wishes for a speedy recovery to all victims.” area Kremlin.
Attack and Russian trail
August 15, Head of the Ministry of Emergencies of Armenia Armen Pambukhchyan deported The possibility of a terrorist attack on the Surmalu market.
“When you watch the video of the explosion, it’s clear that there is no such thing as terrorism because first there was some kind of fire, then there was smoke, then there was the explosion,” he said. After the formation of an ignition source, the fire spread to combustible materials.
The reason for the rumors about the possible participation of the Russian Federation in the explosion in the market was a series of events. Thus, the version of the participation of Russian structures was promoted by the publication of the Russian blogger Semyon Pegov (project project). warGonzo), reported the death of a four-year-old (otherwise five-year-old) girl as a result of an explosion in the market, but later the Ministry of Health of Armenia refuted this information. Pegov, on the other hand, claimed that, despite the medical department’s testimony, his sources saw one of the eyewitnesses pull a bleeding child from the wreckage. “At the time, the pulse was not palpable,” the blogger’s post says. The Armenian people responded to Pegov’s messages with a flurry of criticism.
At the same time, the publication of the Russian Life.ru became the cause of the accusations. Due to the difference in time zones, readers believed that the broadcast appeared two hours before the explosion. However, some Armenian media and social networks continued to accuse the portal of manipulating the time change and the planned information “bomb”.
Also Telegram channel “Bagramian 26” He directly accused the Russian embassy of trying to undermine the political situation in the country. The author of the channel accused Mika Badlanyan, a colleague of Semyon Pegov, of spreading false information and linked his work with the Russian authorities.
“Unfortunately, this information terrorist (Badlanyan) is supported and sponsored by Russian agitprop and especially the staff of the Russian Embassy in Armenia. Who will be responsible for projecting hatred towards this informative terrorist directly on Russian institutions? Will the Armenian people be declared guilty as they always have, or will they at least realize this time that the responsibility lies with ignorant diplomats and embassy officials? – says message.
After the Russian embassy denied the accusations against him and sent a note to the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 17, Bagramyan spoke in surprise about the departure of the Russian mission from channel 26.
“Who or what political force accused the Russian Federation of being involved in the tragedy in Surmalu? What serious accusation was brought or which official media accused Russia of being involved in the explosion in Surmalu? What is the reason for such a reaction of the Russian embassy and what kind of reaction is required for something that does not exist?” – The message of the Telegram channel says.