Russia Suspends Most Armenian Seafood Imports

(Global 1 News)

Russian customs officials inspect seafood imports at a border checkpoint. (Global 1 News)

Russia Suspends Most Armenian Seafood Imports

Russia will suspend seafood imports from all but two of Armenia's processing plants, the country's agricultural safety watchdog said Monday. Rosselkhoznadzor announced the measure after completing a week of field inspections at fish processing facilities and trout aquaculture farms in Armenia.

Inspection Outcomes and Certification Halt

Half of the inspected companies refused to undergo the process, according to Rosselkhoznadzor. The agency stated that Armenia must suspend all veterinary certification for shipments of live fish and seafood products bound for Russian recipients from all Armenian companies starting June 2. Only the two companies that cleared inspections will retain access under laboratory safety monitoring.

Pattern of Recent Trade Restrictions

The seafood decision adds to earlier Russian curbs on Armenian produce, flowers, mineral water, and alcoholic products, which Moscow justified on health and safety grounds. These measures coincide with Armenia's preparations for parliamentary elections this Sunday, where Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party faces opposition from pro-Russian groups.

Moscow's Warnings on EU Alignment

Russian officials have separately threatened to terminate a 2013 bilateral agreement that guarantees Armenia duty-free natural gas and oil supplies if Yerevan deepens ties with the European Union. President Vladimir Putin invoked what he described as the "Ukrainian scenario" and urged Armenia to hold a referendum on its economic orientation as soon as possible, noting the incompatibility of simultaneous EU and Eurasian Economic Union membership.

Diplomatic Frictions and Regional Context

Tensions have risen since Azerbaijan regained control of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to prevent Baku's offensive and, in 2024, froze Armenia's participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow has not publicly responded to these specific accusations in the provided statements.

Putin's Birthday Message to Pashinyan

Earlier on Monday, Putin sent a telegram to Pashinyan marking his 51st birthday. The message stated that relations between the two countries and peoples have traditionally been friendly and expressed interest in their further steady development.

Photo Essay

Armenian and Russian flags outside a diplomatic building in Yerevan. (Global 1 News)

Timeline of recent Russian trade restrictions on Armenian goods. (Global 1 News)