Armenia is making a huge mistake by deliberately trying to spoil relations with Russia and turn the country into a hostage of the West's geopolitical games, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today regarding the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

"We are convinced that the authorities in Yerevan are making a huge mistake by deliberately trying to destroy Armenia's multifaceted and centuries-old ties with Russia and turn the country into a hostage of the West's geopolitical games," the ministry said in a statement.

The Russian MFA also criticized Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's message for independence yesterday. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said last night that the likelihood of ethnic Armenians fleeing the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh is increasing and blamed Russia for failing to ensure Armenian security.

Last week, Azerbaijan forced the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to agree to a ceasefire on Baku's terms with a short, effective offensive. Since then, thousands of ethnic Armenians have left the region. Baku has promised to protect the rights of the nearly 120.000 people who lived in Nagorno-Karabakh, but they fear ethnic cleansing.