Pashinyan called for caution in statements about Russia.

The head of the Armenian government expressed regret over the words of the governor of the Shirak region, David Arushanyan, who made inappropriate remarks about Russians, but refused to dismiss him. Nikol Pashinyan urged officials to be correct and cautious in their rhetoric.

No grounds for dismissing the governor of the Shirak region exist, stated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, commenting on the anti-Russian publication by the official.

"The situation requires clarification. It is necessary to be as correct and cautious as possible, and if any careless step was taken, the situation will be corrected and resolved," Yerevan Today quoted him as saying.

The governor of Shirak, David Arushanyan, previously made a publication on Facebook* related to the celebration of Gyumri Day on October 17, organized by the Strong Armenia party. The governor criticized the political event and wrote: "Gyumri is not your 'Lower Tabor', and the people of Gyumri are not your 'Ivans'" - the publication states.

Moscow found signs of neo-Nazism in the governor's statement

Moscow expects that Armenia will demonstrate a clear and appropriate response to the words of the head of the Shirak region, David Arushanyan, about "Ivans". This was reported by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

"Such openly rude neo-Nazi slogans have no place in any self-respecting society, especially in the Armenian one, which is so sensitive to historical issues in general and its own history," the diplomat emphasized. She pointed out that the governor of the Shirak region primarily insulted the Armenian people. Such "neo-Nazi refrains of the well-known derogatory rhetoric of the Nazis towards the Slavic population" were deemed unacceptable by the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry - and not only for representatives of the authorities.

Zakharova reminded that among those very Soviet soldiers whom the Nazis called "Ivans" or "red Ivans", there were about half a million ethnic Armenians. She also listed well-known Armenians who referred to themselves as Ivans: Baghramyan, Aivazovsky, Tevosyan, Isakov, and others.

"I would not want to think that an official leading a region where the 102nd Russian military base and Russian border guards are stationed considers it acceptable to make public statements that could provoke national hostility towards Russians, which would fundamentally contradict the spirit of centuries-old friendship between the peoples of our countries," the Russian embassy in Armenia stated earlier on its Telegram page.

The head of the Federation Council's committee on regulations, Vladimir Jabbarov, proposed to consider the issue of banning the entry into Russia for the governor of the Shirak region of Armenia, David Arushanyan.

"I believe that for such words, one should bear real responsibility. It would be right for our Foreign Ministry to consider the issue of closing entry to Russia for David Arushanyan," RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

The center of the Shirak region is the city of Gyumri, where the Russian military base is located.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", if Russia decides to withdraw the 102nd military base, Armenia will not object, as its presence is not vital, stated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's words that Russia is ready to leave the Armenian Gyumri if Yerevan believes that the Russian military base is not needed there. Armenia may increase the fee for the base's presence in Gyumri if Russian gas prices rise, stated on September 13 the head of the parliamentary commission on defense and security, Vilen Gabrielyan.