Azerbaijan’s Great Return: Refugee Resettlement, Rebuilding, and Destruction o

Genocide Watch
July 25, 2026

By Kristie Moore

Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh has been ongoing for decades. Displacement has been a constant facet of this reality. Both Armenians and Azerbaijanis have been cleared from the area on numerous occasions, displaced from their homelands, and forced to rebuild from nothing. This report examines Azerbaijan’s Great Return program and the aftermath of the 2020 War and Azerbaijan’s recent takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. Both events prompted the resettlement of Azerbaijani IDPs into regained territories and led to large-scale reconstruction efforts. This reconstruction has been highly controversial both for criticisms of being inefficient, marked by corruption, and indifferent to local needs and requests, and for its destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in the region.


The Great Return is a massive undertaking coordinated by the Government of Azerbaijan. It largely began following the end of the 2020 War when Azerbaijan took over seven districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh (Aghdam, Kalbajar, Lachin, Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Qubadli) and approximately one-third of the region itself. This included historically significant cities like Shusha, a major cultural and symbolic center in the region. The Azerbaijani government divides the Great Return into three phases: 1) rebuilding infrastructure, including damaged electricity and gas lines, 2) building houses and essential facilities like schools, hospitals, clinics, kindergartens, and social service establishments, and finally 3) the relocation of IDPs into the region.












‘Bullied, beaten up, killed’: Armenia’s drag queens risk it all for the stage

France 24
July 26, 2026

‘Bullied, beaten up, killed’: Armenia’s drag queens risk it all for the stage

Armenian attitudes toward the LGBTQ community have transformed in recent years, in part due to the war in Ukraine. While a queer club in Yerevan was firebombed in 2012, the capital is now home to a thriving underground drag scene. But despite these events attracting hundreds, police raids and family rejection are still commonplace.

Kal BERJIKIAN
Renée BERTINI

This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.

Hundreds of people gathered at a club in the heart of the Armenian capital Yerevan for an underground drag show in mid-June.

Due to security concerns, details about the Pride Month event spread through word of mouth or private Instagram stories.

Previous bars have closed their doors because of repeated police raids, and a queer club was firebombed in 2012.

“Drag is more political in Armenia because, honestly, we have to be,” said Leo, one of the main organisers of the event.

“It’s all about survival, and it’s all just about living – surviving, but also thriving.”

Despite fears of violence, this underground scene has been growing in recent years – fuelled, in part, by Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Armenian drag queen Lava Dicks at a performance in Yerevan. © ENTR

‘It scared me back into the closet’  

Armenia often ranks poorly when it comes to its treatment of the LGBTQ community, and targeted acts of violence have been common.

The former Soviet country is listed near the bottom of ILGA-Europe’s rainbow map, which ranks European countries annually based on their legal protections for queer communities.

ILGA-Europe ranked Armenia 45th this year on its list of 49 countries – just four spots above Russia in last place. Nevertheless, there has been steady improvement since the Ukraine war began in 2022, when Armenia tied with Russia in 47th place. 

In 2023, Adriana, a 28-year-old trans woman, was brutally murdered at her home, and her Yerevan apartment was set on fire.

In 2018, a mob of more than 30 people attacked nine members of the LGBTQ community in the village of Shurnukh in southeastern Armenia. Some of the people attacked were activists and employees of Pink Armenia, the country’s largest LGBTQ organisation.

The DIY club, a queer venue, was firebombed in 2012 after its owner Armine Oganezova was interviewed at a Pride parade in Turkey. She fled the country after being harassed and threatened, eventually moving to Sweden.

News of the attack spread far and wide. 

“It scared me back into the closet … real fucking bad,” said Leo, one of the main forces behind the country’s drag scene.  

“’Cause when you hear about … a queer place being bombed, attacked, then you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’m never coming out.’ ‘Cause then they will kill me.”  

Read moreFake Pride, masked men and a surge in misinformation ahead of Armenia’s election

Despite this fear, the drag scene is thriving in Yerevan.  

The 28-year-old was first introduced to drag 10 years ago, when a friend working at Pink Armenia told him the organisation was putting on an event.  

After that first show, “something switched in me”, he said.   

“I felt like, well, this is what I’m supposed to do,” saying all the abuse he had witnessed since his youth, including members of the community “being bullied, beaten up, killed … was for this”. 

‘I left Russia against my will’

Attitudes in Armenia have shifted since then – in part due to the arrival of tens of thousands of Russians.

The number of Russians who have left their country since the start of the war in Ukraine is difficult to gauge. A 2024 Stanford University publication estimated it at between 500,000 and 1 million, calling it Russia’s “largest wave of emigration since 1917”, during World War I.    

Many were fleeing Moscow’s partial military mobilisation and Western economic sanctions, while others were political or queer refugees who left the country after Russia introduced more draconian anti-LGBTQ laws. 

Tens of thousands of them eventually moved to Armenia, according to Aleksandr Gevorkyan, a professor of economics at St John’s University in the United States. But he added that the exact number is hard to verify. 

While Yerevan’s figures put the number at around 100,000, Gevorkyan said many Russians subsequently left for other countries while between 35,000 and 55,000 stayed in Armenia.

Yerevan is part of the Eurasian Economic Union, and Russians can move to Armenia without visas – making it an easy landing for underprivileged people trying to flee the country.

Molly was one of them. The 26-year-old was a drag queen in Russia before the war in Ukraine.

She left the country after Russia banned the non-existent “international LGBT movement” as an “extremist” organisation, resulting in the bar where she performed being raided by police.  

“We knew in about a week that something would happen, because raids had also begun in all other cities,” she said.  

“We hired additional security, installed walkie-talkies in our dressing room, our guards put on bulletproof vests.”  

Molly performing in Yerevan as Molly Tok on June 13, 2026. © ENTR

Molly was hosting an event when she noticed a man with a machine gun in the crowd. Because she was on stage at the time, the men raiding the event were able to tackle and detain her.

Some of the people arrested are still facing legal proceedings more than two years later.

Molly was initially released. But she fled Russia after her lawyer told her that she could still face charges.

According to Leo, the arrival of Russians like Molly has made it more socially acceptable to be visibly queer in public.

Many of the new arrivals embrace styles that Armenians once associated with the queer community, like brightly coloured hair or men wearing clothing that “maybe looks like it’s from [the] female section”.

Leo said Armenians saw this, and it “clicked” that such things don’t necessarily mean someone is gay. However, tolerance still has its limits.

“It’s okay if you’re Russian, but if you are Armenian and you’re doing it, you’re bringing shame to your people,” he said.

According to Mamikon Hovsepyan, the former head of Pink Armenia, some of the Russian arrivals tried to create their own LGBTQ clubs and events.

But the community complained about the lack of security, he said.

“The door was just open. Sometimes people are getting attacked when visiting those locations.”

Armenia’s defiant drag scene braves pushback

‘People are losing their housing’ 

Portal – one of the bars where Leo regularly performed – was created after the start of the war in Ukraine, opening its doors in October 2023 before shutting down just eight months later.

Despite shifts in attitude, the bar was not safe from police violence, according to its owner, Mari Muradyan, 31.  The venue’s neighbours called the police after they saw a drag queen visiting from Georgia standing outside the club wearing high heels. 

“They thought that strange people were coming [to the venue],” she said. “Guys in skirts are strange in Armenia.”

“For them, it is all perversion, you know. At some point, they just did everything to close the club.”

The police raided the club and arrested two men, who were later released. While drag is not illegal in Armenia, the country’s police often raid bars hosting the events under the pretext of looking for drugs, according to both Muradyan and Leo.

Muradyan eventually closed the bar after the police told her to do so. She has since fled the country, moving to the Netherlands to be with her wife.

Read more‘They are stealing the election’: How Armenia became the next Russia-EU battlefield

The demographic shift in Armenia has been a double-edged sword, according to Hovsepyan.

While he agreed with Leo that attitudes have shifted, he stressed that the economic situation remains challenging, notably with regard to rising prices.

“People are losing their housing because it’s getting expensive,” Hovsepyan said.

Landlords prefer to rent to Russians – who have more ready cash – instead of locals, while prices have risen by three or four times.

“Rents saw sharp increases in the second half of 2022 and early 2023,” Gevorkyan said, when the first Russian wave arrived after the start of the war. Prices have since dropped slightly.

One consequence of the increased cost of living, according to Leo, is that young people can no longer afford to move out of their homes, causing a spike in domestic violence.

Pink Armenia recorded 22 domestic violence cases in 2023, up from just 10 in 2022. That number rose to 38 in 2024.

The NGO says the actual figure is likely much higher, as many cases are never reported.

Some young people are being outed due to the increasing visibility of the LGBTQ community, leading some parents to “recognise” certain behaviours in their kids, said Hasmik Petrosyan, a lawyer and human rights activist who works with Pink Armenia.

Molly as Molly Tok performing in Yerevan, Armenia. © ENTR

‘People love us’ 

Despite the challenges, the marked shift in what is socially acceptable has created an environment for drag to thrive in Yerevan.

“We are truly, I think, being looked at in the community as stars, you know … we are respected, and we demand respect now,” said Leo.

“People love us,” he said. Some 250 people come to the drag balls on the “worst night”, and sometimes the crowd can surpass 450.

This was clear at an underground Pride event in Yerevan on June 13. Crowds danced on the stage during intermission at a venue covered with Pride flags.

But the fear of the police was still present despite how much things have changed, and halfway through the event, the performers cancelled the show in fear that the authorities would show up after a drag queen fainted.

Outside the venue, a group of men harassed attendees once they realised the nature of the event. One drag queen was followed home by a man carrying a knife but was unharmed, Leo said.

Despite all of this, Leo was hopeful about the future of the drag scene in Armenia. “If anything”, he said, “I think this is going to make us even stronger.”

“I think now … we have a much better understanding of how much this is needed, because you can’t be scared and stay at home and in the closet all the time.”

“You also have to be brave, and you have to live your truth.”

Iran, Armenia forge comprehensive energy partnership

TEHRAN TIMES, Iran
July 26, 2026
By Mahnaz Abdi

Iran, Armenia forge comprehensive energy partnership

  1. Economy
July 26, 2026 – 18:33

TEHRAN – In a significant diplomatic push to deepen bilateral ties, Iran and Armenia have agreed on a sweeping new roadmap for energy cooperation, spanning electricity grid integration, hydroelectric development, and a fundamental overhaul of their gas-for-electricity trade mechanism.

The agreements were finalized during two high-level meetings in Tehran, involving Iran’s Ministers of Energy and Oil, alongside Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Davit Khudatyan.

The developments mark a strategic pivot for both nations, aiming not only to complete long-pending infrastructure projects but also to position Armenia as a potential transit hub for Iranian natural gas exports to broader international markets. Officials from both sides described the talks as “highly constructive,” emphasizing their shared determination to transform bilateral energy relations from a simple barter system into a multidimensional, commercially robust partnership.

In the first of the two meetings, Iran’s Minister of Energy, Abbas Aliabadi, hosted Minister Khudatyan to review the status of joint electricity projects. According to reports from the Ministry of Energy, the two sides placed particular emphasis on accelerating the implementation of the third power transmission line—a project that has remained stalled for over twelve years—as well as developing the broader Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia power corridor.

The third transmission line, designed to operate at 230 kV, has faced significant delays, primarily due to liquidity constraints affecting cabling works. In their discussions, both ministers underscored the urgency of securing the necessary financial resources to resolve this bottleneck, thereby ensuring the line can be energized and brought into service. Encouragingly, an Iranian contractor involved in the project has pledged to complete the installation of transmission towers in sections 5 and 6 within the next month, signaling tangible progress on the ground.

Beyond this longstanding project, Minister Aliabadi raised the prospect of constructing the Meghri run-of-the-river hydroelectric power plant. The Armenian side responded positively, referencing prior agreements and expressing full readiness to cooperate. Significantly, an Omani company has reportedly stepped forward with an offer to finance and implement the Meghri project, which could add approximately 200 megawatts of clean, renewable capacity to the regional grid.

Regional connectivity and environmental stewardship

A central pillar of the discussions was the development of the Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia power corridor. Minister Aliabadi emphasized that technical and economic studies have already confirmed the viability of electricity exchanges along this route. Highlighting Iran’s technical expertise, he announced that Iranian companies stand ready to construct the transmission line segment between Armenia and Georgia, effectively linking the Caucasus to the broader Eurasian energy network.

This corridor is viewed as a strategic asset for Iran, providing a direct overland route to northern markets and reducing reliance on maritime chokepoints. Minister Aliabadi described Armenia as “one of the main links” in this vision, noting that alongside Armenia, other countries are actively involved in the planning stages to operationalize this high-voltage connection.

In parallel with these infrastructure ambitions, both nations addressed environmental concerns regarding the Aras River, a vital waterway bordering the two countries. Minister Aliabadi confirmed that discussions touched upon pollution control measures, and both sides expressed a strong interest in convening the Aras River pollution working group in the near future. The Iranian minister also highlighted domestic progress, noting that Iran has added approximately 9,000 megawatts to its national power generation capacity over the past year—a development that strengthens its ability to export electricity while meeting internal demand.

Revamping gas-for-electricity barter system

While the energy ministry focused on electrical infrastructure, a second pivotal meeting took place between Minister Khudatyan and Iran’s Oil Minister, Mohsen Paknejad. The discussions at this session revolved around overhauling the decades-old gas-for-electricity barter arrangement that currently underpins bilateral energy trade.

Minister Paknejad described Armenia as “one of Iran’s important neighbors” and emphasized Tehran’s willingness to assist its friendly counterpart within the framework of its capabilities. He proposed a fundamental shift in commercial strategy: defining a new model for gas trade that would go beyond simple swaps. Specifically, Iran is exploring the feasibility of exporting natural gas through Armenian territory to access third-party markets, effectively transforming Yerevan into a transit corridor for Iranian energy resources.

“The current model of cooperation is based on gas-for-electricity barter,” Paknejad explained. “However, Iran’s clear proposal is to define a new commercial model for gas exports. Implementing this requires examining existing infrastructure and the possibility of expanding gas trade beyond Armenia’s market and through its territory.”

The Oil Minister acknowledged the technical and commercial complexities inherent in this proposal, stressing that it would require extensive expert-level studies. To address these challenges, both sides agreed to establish a joint specialized working group dedicated to the energy sector. This working group is tasked with analyzing infrastructure capacities, assessing commercial viability, and preparing the ground for the new model’s implementation.

The scope of the oil ministry’s discussions extended well beyond gas exports. Minister Paknejad and Minister Khudatyan reviewed a broad spectrum of cooperation areas, including the trade of petroleum products, the export of technical and engineering services, and the potential construction of a refinery to meet Armenia’s domestic needs.

Khudatyan acknowledged the existing cooperation, noting that Armenia currently utilizes Iranian bitumen in its road construction projects—an indication of the practical, ground-level ties that already exist between the two nations. He expressed Yerevan’s strong interest in increasing the volume of energy exchanges and deepening bilateral collaboration “more than ever.”

The decision to form the joint working group was met with enthusiasm by both sides. Paknejad proposed that the group commence its activities as swiftly as possible, with results and follow-up achievements to be reviewed at the next high-level ministerial meeting.

Khudatyan echoed this sentiment, stating that the two countries are “determined to expand bilateral cooperation across all relevant areas.” He confirmed that the working group would begin its operations “in the shortest possible time,” focusing on all domains falling under the purview of the two ministries.

One of the most tangible deliverables of the talks is the 400 kV transmission line, currently under construction between the two countries. Khudatyan provided an update on this critical infrastructure, acknowledging that while certain obstacles remain, both sides are committed to resolving them through active consultation. He expressed optimism that with sustained joint cooperation, the project will be commissioned by the end of the current calendar year.

Minister Aliabadi, in his remarks, framed the broader context of these projects as a natural extension of the long-standing historical and brotherly ties between Tehran and Yerevan. “Both countries have always strived to develop these relations,” he stated, emphasizing that Khudatyan’s visit was specifically aimed at completing unfinished projects and initiating new joint ventures.

Taken together, the outcomes of these two meetings paint a picture of a rapidly evolving bilateral energy relationship. Iran and Armenia are not merely seeking to maintain their existing barter arrangement but are actively working to expand, modernize, and commercialize their partnership. The proposed gas export transit model, if implemented, could fundamentally alter regional energy flows, offering Iran a vital gateway to northern markets while providing Armenia with enhanced energy security and transit revenues.

Simultaneously, the push to complete the 230 kV and 400 kV transmission lines, alongside the development of the Meghri hydroelectric plant and the Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia corridor, signals a long-term commitment to physical grid integration. These projects, once realized, will diversify energy routes, increase regional resilience, and foster economic interdependence.

With joint working groups now poised to tackle the technical and financial challenges, the stage is set for a new chapter in Iran-Armenia relations—one defined by shared infrastructure, expanded trade, and a mutual vision for a stable and prosperous energy future.

Beyond GDP: World Bank Says Armenia Must Turn Economic Growth into Broad-Based

DevDiscourse
July 26, 2026

Armenia’s economy remains one of the fastest-growing in the region, but the World Bank says future success will depend on making growth more inclusive through stronger fiscal policies, better jobs and greater investment in human capital. The report urges policymakers, development partners and private investors to focus on labour market reforms, regional development and productivity improvements to ensure economic growth translates into lasting poverty reduction and sustainable long-term development.

Key Takeaways

AI Summary

  • Armenia has become one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe and Central Asia, with a 7.1% growth in 2025.
  • The World Bank emphasizes the need for Armenia to focus on creating broad-based prosperity rather than just rapid economic growth.
  • Key areas for improvement include effective fiscal policies, labor market reforms, and investment in human capital.
  • Policymakers and investors are urged to ensure that economic growth benefits all regions and reduces poverty sustainably.

Armenia has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe and Central Asia over the past few years, but the country’s biggest challenge is no longer achieving rapid economic growth. According to the World Bank’s Summer 2026 Armenia Country Economic Update, the priority has shifted toward ensuring that growth creates better jobs, reduces poverty sustainably and benefits people across all regions. The report finds that while Armenia’s macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong, long-term prosperity will depend on more effective fiscal policies, stronger labour market reforms and greater investment in human capital. For policymakers, development partners and private investors, the message is clear: maintaining high growth is important, but making that growth more inclusive will determine Armenia’s future economic resilience.

Strong Economic Growth Faces a New Reality

Armenia’s economy expanded by 7.1% in 2025, making it one of the strongest performers in the region. Growth was supported by rising household consumption, higher public and private investment, strong construction activity and a recovery in agriculture. The services sector, particularly information technology, finance and professional services, continued to drive economic expansion, while higher copper production also supported mining output.

However, the World Bank expects growth to gradually slow to 5.3% in 2026 and stabilize around 5% in the coming years. Rather than indicating economic weakness, this reflects the normalization of trade after the temporary boost created by regional geopolitical changes following 2022. Domestic demand is expected to remain the main engine of growth, supported by infrastructure investment, consumer spending and improving business confidence.

The report also notes that inflation increased because of higher food prices, global commodity costs and exchange-rate fluctuations. Since Armenia imports a significant share of its food and agricultural inputs, households remain vulnerable to international price shocks. This highlights the need for continued monetary discipline alongside policies that strengthen domestic production and productivity.

Growth Has Reduced Poverty, But Millions Remain Vulnerable

Despite impressive economic performance, the report warns that Armenia’s development challenges remain significant. Poverty has declined considerably in recent years, yet around two-thirds of the population is either poor or economically vulnerable, meaning many households live only slightly above the poverty line and could easily fall back into poverty during an economic downturn.

The report emphasizes that poverty is no longer mainly caused by unemployment. Instead, many Armenians have jobs that generate low and unstable incomes. Informal employment, self-employment and low-productivity agriculture continue to dominate large parts of the labour market. At the same time, fast-growing sectors such as information technology and finance require specialized skills that many workers do not possess.

Regional inequality also remains a concern. Rural communities continue to experience higher poverty levels than urban areas, while regions such as Shirak, Tavush and Armavir remain more vulnerable than the national average. Even Yerevan has experienced a slight increase in poverty as rising housing and living costs reduce household purchasing power.

Fiscal Reforms Can Turn Growth into Long-Term Development

The World Bank argues that fiscal policy will play a critical role in Armenia’s next stage of development. The government recorded stronger-than-expected fiscal results in 2025 due to improved tax collection and disciplined public spending, while public debt remained below the country’s fiscal rule limit.

However, stronger economic growth alone will not be enough to eliminate poverty. The report recommends improving the targeting of social assistance programmes, expanding the formal labour market and increasing investment in education, healthcare and workforce training. Better tax administration and higher labour productivity would generate additional public revenue while strengthening long-term economic competitiveness.

The report also highlights the need to strengthen Armenia’s pension system. Since many workers remain outside the formal economy, pension contributions are relatively limited, creating long-term fiscal challenges as the population ages. Expanding formal employment would therefore improve both household incomes and the sustainability of public finances.

What It Means for Governments, Development Partners and Businesses

For the Armenian government, the report provides a roadmap for maintaining economic momentum while making growth more inclusive. Policies that improve workforce skills, promote regional development, modernize infrastructure and encourage innovation will help reduce inequality and create more productive employment opportunities.

For international development partners such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union and United Nations agencies, Armenia presents an opportunity to support long-term structural reforms rather than emergency financial assistance. Future cooperation is likely to focus on human capital development, digital transformation, climate-resilient infrastructure, agricultural modernization and institutional strengthening.

The private sector also has significant opportunities. Continued growth in information technology, tourism, renewable energy, manufacturing and logistics offers attractive investment potential. Businesses that invest in employee training, digital technologies and value-added industries can benefit from Armenia’s stable macroeconomic environment while addressing the country’s skills gap. At the same time, investors should remain aware of risks from regional geopolitical tensions, global commodity price volatility, inflation and demographic changes.

Overall, the World Bank concludes that Armenia has successfully built a stable and resilient economy. The next phase of development, however, will depend not on achieving exceptionally high GDP growth but on ensuring that economic progress creates quality jobs, strengthens public institutions and delivers lasting improvements in living standards. If policymakers successfully implement labour market reforms, strengthen fiscal policy and invest in people, Armenia will be well positioned to achieve more inclusive and sustainable growth over the coming decade.

168: Another “sanction” of “Rosselkhoznadzor”. Why the meeting with Mishustin?

July 25, 2026


The deep crisis of Armenian-Russian relations and the cessation of political dialogue, which began with the pre-election campaign of the parliamentary elections held in Armenia, not only do not resolve, but also take on new, more dangerous manifestations.

Moscow, reducing high-level political contacts, refusing official post-election congratulations, continues the strategy of economic pressure on Yerevan. The federal veterinary and phytosanitary control service of the Russian Federation, “Rosselkhoznadzor”, announced that it did not allow the sale of dairy products imported from Armenia on the Russian market, considering them unsafe.

According to the statement of the department, on July 14-21, “Rosselkhoznadzor” specialists made inspections in the enterprises engaged in the processing of milk in Armenia, which had previously received permission to enter the Russian market, based on the guarantees of the Veterinary Service of Armenia.

According to the Russian side, similar violations were again recorded during the inspections, which were also found during the inspection visits of 2023-2024. They refer to the product traceability system, the formulation of veterinary accompanying documents for raw materials and finished products, the veterinary sanitary examination of incoming raw materials, the implementation of risk management systems and the implementation of production control programs.

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However, Rosselkhoznadzor’s repeated ban on the import of Armenian dairy products is not just the result of an inspection, but a logical continuation of the economic sanctions launched in April, which earlier targeted mineral waters, fish products and other agricultural products. The created situation essentially shows the complete inefficiency of the foreign policy and diplomatic steps conducted by the Armenian authorities, to put it mildly.

After the elections, the phone call initiated by Nikol Pashinyan to the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, then the urgent visit to Russia and the pronounced “cold” reception by Mishustin, did not actually produce any results. The restrained protocol of the Russian side and the subsequent economic restrictions prove that Yerevan has not managed to dispel Moscow’s dissatisfaction or reach any serious political agreement.

Against this background, the public statements of the RA authorities become more revealing. Weeks ago, Pashinyan assured that a number of agreements were reached at the meeting with the head of the Russian government, Mikhail Mishustin. Pashinyan did not elaborate on what the agreements were, but a stable impression was created that agreements aimed at easing the situation were reached. However, instead of the expected “positive result”, Armenian businessmen faced another closing of the doors of the Russian market. This proves that the visit to Moscow was not a strategic dialogue, but just an unsuccessful attempt to alleviate the situation, which was ignored by the Russian political leadership.

The content of Rosselkhoznadzor’s statement itself has a political connotation. The Russian agency, talking about contaminated milk or the lack of veterinary control, also directly targets the state administration reforms implemented in Armenia since 2019. Moscow has turned the EAEU technical and sanitary toolkit into a political whip, making it clear that as long as Yerevan continues its geopolitical fluctuations, economic levers will be used to exert maximum pressure.

The ban on dairy products is a direct and painful blow to the socio-economic system of Armenia. These and similar steps of the Russian side are aimed at causing a new wave of social discontent within the country, putting the Armenian peasant in a helpless situation and showing that the price of the foreign political vector adopted by the authorities is paid by the ordinary citizen.

Finally, these developments come to confirm that the “point of irreversibility” in Armenian-Russian relations has either already been crossed, or the parties are standing on the threshold of it. Moscow has put a tough dilemma in front of Yerevan: “EAEU or EU?”, and the attempts of the RA authorities to sit and maneuver in both chairs at the same time are no longer working. Without a clear strategy, without real provision of alternative markets, Armenia finds itself in an economic blockade and a geopolitical impasse.

The current crisis shows that the diversification agenda implemented in this way is not successful. The only way to protect Armenia’s economy and exporters from political shocks is a calculated foreign policy.

In the USA, they called on Azerbaijan to immediately release the Armenian prisoners

July 25, 2026


The Foreign Relations Committee of the House of Representatives of the US Congress has adopted a corresponding bill, calling on Azerbaijan to immediately release the Armenian hostages. This is reported by ANCA.

“Azerbaijan’s release of Armenian hostages, the safe return of Artsakh refugees and the withdrawal of Azerbaijani occupation forces from the territory of Armenia are unconditional preconditions for peace and not a bargaining tool of Baku, with which the latter forces Armenia to make unilateral concessions,” ANCA Executive Director Aram Hambaryan noted.

The Parliament of Azerbaijan, as expected, reacted negatively to these developments. They described the adoption of the bill as “an attempt to turn the US Congress into an instrument of political pressure on Azerbaijan in the interests of the Armenian lobby.”

Baku “expressed particular indignation over the use of the terms “prisoners of war” and “political prisoners” in the bill.”

“When they break the head of the Catholicos, the Prosecutor General, the police are very close

July 25, 2026


As we reported yesterday, the law enforcement officers initiated a criminal prosecution against a citizen selling watermelons in one of the markets under the charge of hooliganism. The reason is that the citizen, the so-called blogger Aram Avetisyan, asks the person whose media he represents, “traitors?” After that, the person posing as a blogger starts cursing the citizen, threatens that he will be “judged”, and the citizen curses him in turn. Hours after the incident, the Investigative Committee told the media that a criminal prosecution was initiated against the citizen selling watermelons.

Human rights defender Zhanna Aleksanyan in other words, the person called the blogger is seen in various videos walking around the city and provoking people, the human rights defender personally saw various videos proving all that.

“To put it mildly, he behaves very impudently, that behavior is intolerable. He provoked the watermelon seller the same way, why did he go there and argue with people? They should have taken him too, because he was cursing the city. We have heard many hooligan expressions from the officials, also from different people, but no cases are initiated against them. As soon as they find a poor and defenseless person, the police become active. In cases where the head of the Catholicos is smashed, etc., the police and the Prosecutor General are very passive.” of 168.am Zhanna Aleksanyan said in a conversation with

The human rights defender condemned the initiation of criminal prosecution against the citizen selling watermelons, stressing that the person called blogger insulted the citizen, and he responded.

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“What should that citizen do, why should that blogger go and provoke people?” How could he go around like that, put people off their feet with his insolent speech, and curse the citizen, of course, he shouldn’t have cursed, I have nothing to say, but it’s difficult when they are provoking you standing in front of you.

I think the words “traitor” and “landlord” could have been a target. We saw demonstrations of the opposition, where the word “traitor” was not new, mass people said: “go away, traitor”, or “landlord”, etc. The citizen was also targeted for those words, for calling the great, great-grandfather “landlord” and “traitor”, which every second person in Armenia uses,” Zhanna Aleksanyan added.

According to his definition, the police is not just the police, all law enforcement systems work for Nikol Pashinyan, who says a word when he passes by, so they should arrest and detain, and then initiate a criminal case.

Anna Hakobyan also spoke: a terrifying case has been registered in the army, it is not the first.

July 25, 2026

After the change of power in 2018, about the cases recorded in the army at different times in publications We asked the question: “Why does the editor-in-chief of “HZ” Anna Hakobyan not ask the “commander-in-chief” Nikol Pashinyan the questions that she once asked Seyran Ohanyan of the Ministry of Defense?” Were they given, at least not publicly?

Moreover, during his parliamentary term Hayk Sargsyan, deputy of CP spoke from the various vicious phenomena encountered in the army, playing lotteries among servicemen, drinking, using drugs, and again, there is no voice that these phenomena are flourishing in civil life, public life, in general, in Armenia, and the fight against which is the responsibility of the country’s leadership. If there is a strong fight here, they will not enter the army, but they will be one in a thousand.

On January 19, 2023, the fire at the Azat shelter took place, in which 15 soldiers died, and Anna Hakobyan did not raise a single voice about the conditions created there for the soldiers, why should a house with no normal conditions become a military shelter, although Nikol Pashinyan did not rush to the scene of the incident, instead, he hurried to put forward a hypothesis about what caused the fire. At that time, even KP deputy Vilen Gabrielyan had announced.

“If I were in the opposition, I would demand the resignation of the Minister of Defense. But I am not an oppositionist, I am Suren Papikyan’s teammate. therefore, I support him in solving the problems in the army.”

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Of course, in the case of the current government, changing the Minister of Defense will not bring anything good, if not to say the opposite. Let’s not forget that after the change of government in 2018, we had several ministers: Davit Tonoyan, Vagharshak Harutyunyan, Arshak Karapetyan, and now Suren Papikyan: The same picture is in the case of the Chief of the General Staff: Movses Hakobyan, Artak Davtyan (twice), Onik Gasparyan, Edward Asryan, we still do not count Kamo Kochuntsi’s acting head of the General Directorate for a few months.

Let’s go back to Anna Hakobyan. On July 21, according to the Investigative Committee, soldier Narek Torosyan committed suicide in the Chambarak military unit, he was a student of the Armenian-Russian University. Later, two of his fellow soldiers were arrested on charges of negligent suicide.

And now Anna Hakobyan has decided on this address this case.

«The other day, society was once again shocked by a terrifying incident in the armed forces. one of the servicemen committed suicide act then it became known that two of his fellow soldiers were charged with negligent suicide. This is not the first case, and naturally there is great concern.

And I saw that a number of public organizations made a statement in this regard. And in that statement, they noted that only in 2026, 8 cases of death in non-combat conditions were recorded in the RA Armed Forces, in relation to most of which, according to the reports of the Investigative Committee, criminal proceedings were initiated under the articles of murder and suicide of the RA Criminal Code.

“The study of the cases of death documents that The violence and humiliation of servicemen in the RA armed forces is of a continuous nature and is manifested both by physical violence and by various manifestations of degrading treatment, intimidation, as well as by long-term abuse of official or de facto power.” stated in the statement.

They demand a ban on degrading treatment in the armed forces, prevention of violence and protection of servicemen in vulnerable situations. Many demands have been presented on a number of points, one of them was the one mentioned. They also demand that a multidisciplinary study be carried out as soon as possible to comprehensively assess the causes and contributing factors of violence and suicide, including the study of previous incidents of violence, command responses, psychological risks and other influencing circumstances, and make it public.

Naturally, the authors of this statement and not only them are extremely concerned and are looking for a solution. No one can remain indifferent to such cases, and the concern is shared by all. When I searched for the mentioned announcement with keywords to quote, I came across a news item with the same title, after opening it I saw that it was a 2012 news item, and the announcement, title, content were exactly the same, essentially. 14 years have passed, but our concern is the same.” Anna Hakobyan says during the live broadcast on Facebook.

In other words, in the army created by Nikol Pashinyan, there is no improvement in terms of statutes compared to the army of the previous ones, or is this said in the sense that the morals in the society have remained the same? Maybe Hakobyan means both, one indirectly and seeing RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan as a target, the other directly.

Anyway, Anna Hakobyan, talking about the roots of violence in the armed forces, took it to domestic violence, which, according to her, is protected by law. And in this context, he did not ignore the serious level of crimes among minors, when instead of solving problems in a civilized way, beatings and knives are chosen. And with more favorable “conditions” that culture is transferred to the Armed Forces.

Let us add that during one of the government meetings last year, Nikol Pashinyan, referring to the non-statutory cases recorded in the army and the deaths in non-combat conditions, noted

“Yeah well, one, two, three, four, ten, then whenever you study, you read, you read, you read, you read, you read, you order research, you ask, and you say, wait a minute, but none of these problems have arisen in the army. Not one.

All these problems come from civilian life in pieces. in one place, the pieces of the puzzle come together in one place, and the puzzle comes together. With very simple logic, very simple reasoning, and we do not understand this. We go, we say, let’s do this in the army, it’s too late to do it in the army, folks. We can’t do anything in the army either, we have to do it in the kindergarten, school, we have to do it in the university.”

After the reaction of RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, Pashinyan added that steps should be taken in the army as well, this does not mean that nothing should be done there.

And in this context, Pashinyan went on to give socio-psychological lessons that our children leave school without psychological preparation, enter life without psychological preparation, psychologically weak, with a weak will.

At that time, we wrote that the above-mentioned vicious phenomena not only enter the army, but also strengthen and spread in the army, society is not the only one to blame for this, especially if we take into account the situation in schools today, the prevalence of drugs among minors, and the fact that there is not a day without shootings. Who is responsible for this, according to Anna Hakobyan, isn’t the head of the country the first person responsible for not being able to put the situation in the country in order?

And did Anna Hakobyan observe the behavior, behavior and manner of speaking of Nikol Pashinyan, representatives of the government and their close or patronage with their opponents or journalists? Who was responsible for this? And Nikol Pashinyan’s speech does not contain violence?

The situation in the country, the atmosphere of impunity for those enjoying the patronage of the government is also important.

So when Anna Hakobyan distributed to public organizations from the announcement specially singles out and presents the parts where it is described that the violence in the army led by Nikol Pashinyan’s teammate, the humiliation of servicemen has a continuous nature and is manifested both by physical violence and by various manifestations of degrading treatment, intimidation, the above should be emphasized as well, not only domestic violence.

By the way, the same statement about psychological violence, can we say that today the citizens of RA are not under psychological pressure, when they know that any speech can become a criminal case, which does not threaten the provocateurs of the government?

As for the incidents in the army, they also have deep reasons related only to the army: lack of human resources, regular and scheduled sleep, issues related to combat duty, when today’s soldier is serving under the enemy’s nose and will have to swallow many things because we are going for a peace agenda, or who is the hero of today’s soldier, what is the task before him, and so on. There are many narrow professional questions that are a separate topic for discussion.

And Anna Hakobyan’s reaction to the latest incident recorded in the army is as ordinary as we can consider it, not random and containing footnotes, from the time chosen to the words and formulations.

By the way, the other day, one of the official bloggers also targeted RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.

In other words, there is no military parade anymore, the votes are secured at the expense of the army… moreover, on the day of the vote, no one saw any signs of humiliation of the soldiers, now suddenly the government circles began to notice what they did not notice, coincidence?… Post-election times, their own “attestation…”.

P.S. By the way, does Anna Hakobyan know that it has been several years since Nikol Pashinyan does not go to military bases and military units to congratulate soldiers and officers on the eve of the New Year?

This, however, is a rather serious indicator of the attitude towards the army.

Merciful ignoramuses, deceivers, as Aliyev’s subordinates, are you anxious or

July 25, 2026

This government is against democracy and blatantly and brazenly commits a crime, that is, it abuses the power. Democracy in Armenia is under serious threat, and the morals, credit and attitude of this government contradict democracy. There is not a single political force from the opposition field that considers these elections as an election. And in the civilized world, it is accepted that you are considered justly elected if the opposition congratulates you. We must prevent Nikol’s “Lukashenization”. 168TVof « expressed such an opinion during the program AIM leader Paruyr Hayrikyan.

“Tomorrow, after all, there must be justice in this country, otherwise we will be destroyed. The future of no nation in the world is as closely related to the concept of justice as ours, because it is with justice that we can become a part of the civilized world. The power that made the change of power said that this Constitution is useless, but suddenly it is imposed on the Armenian people as a good Constitution. This government has not achieved any results except promises, threats or flattery to foreigners,” said the politician.

“It is necessary to have such a system that Mussolini or the ghost of Mussolini does not decide that he, your excellency, wants to do something. With one movement of a pen, with one command, Amiryan Street became Pope King Street, when there were people before you who named that street after King Vramshapuh. This changes the name of the street, it does not even put the issue under discussion. If you don’t discuss, the concept of democracy disappears, that is, people no longer have any leverage. Today, our main problem is that the owner of the country is not the citizen,” Hayrikyan said.

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In the opinion of the leader of the National Military Academy, these authorities do not know that the state means the country of the citizens, and the citizen means the owner of the state. “They only have one idea: how can I make sure that the power stays with me, so that people who are not under my authority and do not obey me suddenly do not have the right to vote?”

You clumsy, illiterate, the owner of the country is the citizen, you are only one of those citizens, and when you try to impose your will, the fate of Ceausescu or Mussolini awaits you. The basis of their value system is the following: when doing something, what will the boss think, and when I do such and such a thing, what will please the boss? They demand this from their subordinates, because they consider themselves inferior to some forces, individuals, they are worried, what will Aliyev think?”

“It is a terrible situation, they have convinced the Armenian people that there will be a war. You pitiful ignoramuses, you deceivers, the war did not stop because of your complacency, the relative peace did not come because of it.

Nicole, it’s not your pitiful compliments that have changed anything for the better. How did you fulfill Aliyev’s demand regarding the dissolution of the Minsk Group? You used to say, prisoners, hold out for a few months. A prostituted, rascally, scumbag Armenian says that prisoners are not important and does not understand that he is preparing his children to become prisoners,” said Paruyr Hayrikyan.

Details in the video.




Political commentator Petros Ghazaryan has a lot of income from the minister’s wife this year as well

July 25, 2026

“We will do everything to ensure that every young person in our country sees that the best conditions for self-realization are created for their development,” Minister of Education and Culture, Zhanna Andreasyan said during a meeting with young people the other day.

Perhaps Zhanna Andreasyan can make the self-realization of her and her husband, political commentator Petros Ghazaryan’s “development” an example for young people, because after the velvet realities, they “development” especially is visible. By the way, this is also confirmed in their declarations.

Zhanna Andreasyan’s statement

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The minister of KGMS started and ended the year with 2 real estates, which he owns under the right of joint ownership. The apartments, which are located in Hrazdan city of Kotayk marz and Kanaker-Zeytun administrative district of the capital, were bought in 1994 and 2011. In this declaration, the minister also mentioned about the 2022 production Honda car he bought in 2022.

Zhanna Andreasyan mentioned a loan of 30 million drams in the table of loans given and returned in the declaration. his brother, Artak Andreasyan, was mentioned as debtor, and 4,770,665.6 drams. the debtor is Converse Bank CJSC. The latter was set to zero at the end of 2025.

Zhanna Andreasyan’s bank account balances doubled during the year, from 5,364,558.5 AMD at the beginning of the year to 10,602,424 AMD at the end of the year.

Minister for the accounting year: 25,598,679 drams the income was generated from the salary received from the Ministry of Education and Culture and or from other payments equal to it.

Let’s note that in 2023, Andreasyan received from KGSMN 19 million 722 667 drams salary and or other payments equivalent to it, and in 2024: 21 million 451,475 drams. The salary increase is visible.

Zhanna Andreasyan is represented in the following non-commercial organizations:

is the chairman of the Board of Directors of the “Educational Programs Center” Program Implementation Office

Armenian State Pedagogical University named after Khachatur Abovyan – chairman of the board

Closed joint-stock company “Sport Management Center” – chairman of the board

“Matenadaran” M. Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts named after Mashtots – chairman of the board

Armenian Cinema Foundation – Chairman of the Board

Cultural Development Foundation – chairman of the board

National Center for Education Development and Innovation Foundation – Chairman of the Board

“Armenia Academy of Pedagogical and Psychological Sciences” – member

Petros Ghazaryan’s statement

In his declaration, Petros Ghazaryan mentioned two real estates that are jointly owned: an individual residential house in the Ajapnyak administrative district of Yerevan and an apartment in the Kanaker-Zeytun community. According to her declaration, she acquired both in 2022 (note: we are not talking about the apartment declared by Zhanna Andreasyan in Kanaker-Zeytun: it was acquired in 2011).

During 2025, Petros Ghazaryan alienated the residential house in Ajapnyak for 60,130,000 drams.

The political commentator, who often takes on the role of CP voiceover on the air of H1, received from H1 during the reporting year 2025 40 million 128,637 AMD income. the income received from other civil law contracts was 21,982,720 drams, and the income received from salary and/or other payments equal to it was 18,145,917 drams.

In 2023, he received from H1 32 million 935.732 AMD income. The salary received from the Public Television Company and/or other payments equal to it amounted to 17,941,132 AMD, and the income received from other civil law contracts amounted to 14,994,600 AMD.

In 2024, Petros Ghazaryan’s income was around 45 million AMD (44 million 904,158 AMD). This amount was formed from 16 million 675,993 drams of labor remuneration received from the Public Television Company and/or other payments equal to it, 28 million 044,080 drams of income from other civil law contracts received from the same television company, and 184,085 drams of income received from the “Nork” advertising agency.

At the end of the year, the political commentator canceled the loans he received from Ardshinbank and Byblos Bank Armenia CJSCs exceeding 40 million drams. According to the record of the declaration, he corrected the repayment of the loan during the year  42,341,584 drams.

The balance of Zhanna Andreasyan’s husband’s bank account increased from 120,000 drams at the beginning of the year to 1.6 million drams at the end of the year, and instead of 0 drams at the beginning of the year, cash funds amounted to 40 million drams at the end of the year.