Mikoyan was defiantly proud of his Armenian identity, pointing out: "I am not a Russian. Stalin is not a Russian." He and Stalin were said to share a toast: "To hell with all these Russians!" However, in post-Soviet Armenia he is a divisive and controversial figure like some other Soviet-era Armenian officials. His critics argue that he, as a loyal servant to Stalin, is responsible for the deaths of thousands during the 1930s purges when many Armenian intellectuals were assassinated. According to academician Hayk Demoyan, he "symbolizes evil, mass murders, and an atmosphere of fear." His supporters argue that he was a major figure on global political stage and usually point to his role in the Cuban missile crisis.