Russia’s presidential administration recommended that state-controlled and Kremlin-friendly media present the results of Armenia’s election as a “defeat” for Nikol Pashinyan, Meduza reported.
According to the outlet, editors were advised to emphasize that Pashinyan’s party received less than 50% of the vote and to use language describing the result as a “loss.”
Journalists were also encouraged to give greater attention to reports of electoral violations in order to “sow doubts about the legitimacy” of the Armenian prime minister.
Meduza obtained the information from an employee of a major pro-Kremlin media outlet.
The existence of such recommendations has not been officially confirmed. Pashinyan’s party nevertheless won 61 of 105 parliamentary seats and retained the ability to form a government on its own.