With respect to Armenia and Russia's relations with them - typically couched in religious terms - it may come out that Putin tactically signed off on Erdogan's re=opening Hagia Sophia as a mosque just to spite the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople whom the Russian Orthodox have broken ties with. Russia, once in a position to claim the mantle of 'defender of Christendom', has effectively placed itself too close to Turkey and Erdogan in crass efforts to 'stop conflict' - only to see their past claims of 'defender of the faith' blown up in the process. Armenia has been turning to the West ever since Putin and Erdogan kissed over Syria.