The Armenian authorities are interested in opening Russian schools in the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday, October 15, TASS reports.

Lavrov noted that Russia is now taking active steps to "strengthen the position of the Russian language, Russian culture, and the Russian world as a whole."

"Five Russian schools are being established in Tajikistan, including on the initiative of [chairwoman of the Federation Council] Valentina Matviyenko, with the program based on our methodology. Now a similar program is being prepared for Uzbekistan," Lavrov said.

"Recently, the new Armenian leadership has expressed interest in ensuring that the same program is implemented in Armenia."