Russia accuses Armenia of trying to sever centuries-old ties

Moscow on Monday accused Armenia of trying to sever ties after Yerevan accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to stop Azerbaijan's military offensive against Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh last week.

"The leadership in Yerevan is making a huge mistake by deliberately trying to destroy Armenia's multifaceted and centuries-old ties with Russia, and by holding the country hostage to the geopolitical games of the West," Russia's foreign ministry said.

On Sunday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan criticised Moscow for refusing to intervene in the conflict, which ended with Armenian-backed separatists agreeing to lay down their arms.

Pashinyan said Armenia's current foreign security alliances were "ineffective" and "insufficient".

Moscow said Pashinyan's statement contained "unacceptable attacks on Russia".

"It is an attempt to absolve himself of the responsibility for the failures in domestic and foreign policy," its foreign ministry said.

Russia had brokered the ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia and deployed several thousand peacekeepers in the region.

"Russia has always... respected Armenian statehood," the foreign ministry said, adding that Yerevan "preferred... running to the West to working with Russia and Azerbaijan".

Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) -- a Russian-dominated group comprised of six post-Soviet states.

The group pledges to protect other members that come under attack.

But Russia is bogged down in Ukraine and has grown more isolated on the international stage.