Official representative of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said today that “Yerevan has succumbed to the pressure of the West in the issue of operation of “Mir” cards in Armenia.”

Speaking at the briefing, she noted that “the costs of the termination of the “Mir” cards will be higher for Armenia than possible Western restrictions.”

On April 1, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that Armenian banks stopped accepting “Mir” cards not due to the policy adopted by Yerevan, but due to the U.S. pressure.

“Many countries are facing unprecedented pressure from the United States - the threat of secondary sanctions, the threat of sanctions. Of course, companies, banks, other institutions, are taking measures to hedge risks.”