Russia Orders Total Ban on Fish Imports From Armenia

June 26, 2026 Yaroslav Chingaev / Moskva News Agency Russia has suspended all seafood imports from Armenia after imposing a partial ban earlier this month, the state-run news agency TASS reported Friday, citing Russia’s agricultural safety agency. Rosselkhoznadzor restricted seafood imports from all but two of Armenia’s fish processing plants on June 1 after the facilities allegedly refused to undergo health and safety inspections. In a statement on Friday, the agency said it uncovered safety violations at those two plants — MF Export and Invest Plus — and moved to ban the import of their seafood products as well. “A decision was made to temporarily suspend product certification for these remaining enterprises,” TASS quoted Rosselkhoznadzor as saying. The move follows previous Russian restrictions on the import and transit of most Armenian food, seeds, flowers, wood and fertilizer due to what officials identified as the “systematic detection” of pests. Russia has also restricted the sale and import of Armenian mineral water and alcoholic products over various alleged health and safety violations. While Moscow maintains that its mounting trade restrictions are based strictly on sanitary concerns, the measures increasingly resemble an economic pressure campaign targeting Yerevan as it pursues closer ties with the European Union. Sergei Dankvert, the head of Rosselkhoznadzor, has denied claims that the trade bans are politically motivated. Armenia’s central bank estimates that Russia’s import ban affects roughly 2% of the South Caucasus country’s GDP. The resulting oversupply of goods redirected away from Russia could cause local prices in Armenia to decrease by 0.6%, policymakers said. Friction between traditional allies Russia and Armenia has grown since Azerbaijan regained control of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. Armenia accused Russia and its peacekeeping forces of failing to deter Baku’s military offensive and, in 2024, froze its participation in a Moscow-led regional security bloc. Read more about: Armenia , Trade Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Issues Sweeping Ban on Armenian Imports After Pashinyan’s Victory Russia will restrict imports of most food, seeds, flowers, wood and fertilizer from Armenia starting on Friday. 2 Min read Russia Restricts Fish Imports From Armenia as Diplomatic Tensions Rise The measure adds to a growing list of food and beverage restrictions as Yerevan pursues ties with the European Union. 2 Min read Russia Targets Mineral Water in Latest Trade Restriction Against Armenia Rospotrebnadzor said it suspended all new sales of Jermuk, a popular Armenian mineral water brand. 2 Min read Russia Ramps Up Pressure on Armenia With Produce Import Ban The restrictions on fruit and vegetable imports come a day after Moscow threatened to rip up a natural gas agreement with Yerevan. 2 Min read