The Russian Orthodox Church has said it is ‘deeply concerned’ by the ongoing confrontation between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Archbishop Yezras is the brother of Catholicos Karekin II. On behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church, Anthony of Volokolamsk described the ongoing confrontation as an attempt by the Armenian authorities ‘to grossly interfere in church affairs’ and said any attempts ‘to engineer a schism among believers’ would be ‘unacceptable’. He also ‘expressed support’ to Archbishop Yezras. According to the Russian Orthodox Church’s statement, Archbishop Yezras briefed the Russian side on ‘the current state of affairs’ in the Armenian Church and expressed gratitude to the Moscow Patriarchate for ‘the solidarity’.