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Akbar Novruz

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Armenia's Ambassador to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan, is reportedly preparing to return to Yerevan as Armenian authorities move ahead with plans to replace him, although the appointment of his successor appears to have encountered delays on the Russian side.

According to the Armenian newspaper Hraparak, the decision to recall Arsenyan, who assumed his diplomatic post in August 2024, was made during the summer. However, the process of selecting and securing approval for a new ambassador has taken longer than initially anticipated.

As a result, Arsenyan has continued performing his diplomatic duties in Moscow while awaiting the completion of the replacement process.

Citing sources close to the diplomat, Hraparak reported that Arsenyan is now preparing to leave Russia and has begun packing his personal belongings for his return to Armenia.

The publication also claimed that the ambassador made limited use of state-provided property during his assignment, preferring to bring his own possessions to Moscow, including an expensive Bentley automobile.

According to the report, these belongings will now have to be transported back to Armenia.

Moscow reportedly delays approval of new Armenian ambassador

Samvel Mkrtchyan, a 67-year-old career diplomat, is expected to succeed Arsenyan as Armenia's ambassador to Russia.

Mkrtchyan has previously served as Armenia's ambassador to several European countries and represented Yerevan at NATO between 2004 and 2010.

He is also the maternal uncle of Armenia's Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisogomonyan.

However, Hraparak reported that the Russian authorities have been delaying the granting of agrément for Mkrtchyan's appointment.

Agrément is the formal diplomatic consent that a receiving country must provide before a foreign government can appoint its proposed ambassador.

Without Russia's approval, Armenia cannot formally complete the appointment of its new diplomatic representative in Moscow.

The newspaper did not specify the reasons for the reported delay or indicate when Russian authorities might issue their decision.

The anticipated diplomatic reshuffle comes amid a period of changing relations between Armenia and Russia, as Yerevan seeks to diversify its international partnerships while maintaining established political, economic and diplomatic ties with Moscow.

For now, neither the reported timetable for Arsenyan's departure nor Mkrtchyan's appointment has been officially confirmed in the information provided by Hraparak.