Armenian community of Ukraine maintains contact with Embassy

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 11:22,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community of Ukraine has been prepared for evacuating Armenians from the heated border sections in case of necessity, Kiev-based Ukrainian-Armenian political analyst Marat Hakobyan said in an interview to ARMENPRESS.

“The talk is about the Armenians living in Donetsk and Lugansk. The Armenian community has developed a plan for evacuating our compatriots from the military zone. There is no such need yet. We have specified the routes, transport in advance to evacuate Armenians in case of necessity, but I repeat that as of this moment there is no such request yet”, he said.

He said there are more Armenians in Donetsk, up to 50,000. Mr. Hakobyan also informed that they are in touch with the Armenian Embassy for various issues.

“You know that martial law has been declared in the country. As this is not the first year, the Armenian community knows what to do. All infrastructures in the country are operating, the public transport is working. There is just a lot of traffic in Kiev. Those who are able to reach their destinations do their work. People try not to panic”, he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law in the country.

Reporting by Anna Gziryan




EU to sanction head of English-language Russian broadcaster RT Margarita Simonyan

POLITICO
Feb 23 2022
Putin presents flowers to editor-in-chief of Russian broadcaster RT Margarita Simonyan | Evgenia Novozhenina/AFP via Getty Images

The European Union is set to sanction Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of the English-language broadcaster RT, for spreading government propaganda, according to a draft document seen by POLITICO.

Simonyan “is a central figure of the Government propaganda,” reads the document, dated February 22.

The document states that Simonyan “promoted a positive attitude to the annexation of Crimea and the actions of separatists in Donbas,” and supported actions and policies undermining the sovereignty of Ukraine.

The document lists more than 20 people and entities to be sanctioned by the EU as part of a package expected to be finalized later today.

 

“Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan” – Vice Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan tells Australian colleagues

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 16:25,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia Ishkhan Saghatelyan held an online meeting with the Co-Chairs of the Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Trent Zimmerman and Joel Fitzgibbon.

Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director Haig Kayserian and Political Affairs Director Michael Kolokossian also participated in the meeting, the Armenian parliament’s press service said.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the Head of the Armenia-Australia Friendship Group of the Armenian Parliament, expressed gratitude to his Australian colleagues for developing the Armenian-Australian ties, noting that he is ready to make additional efforts to develop the existing relations and conveying new quality to the ties.

Saghatelyan positively assessed Australia’s balanced position on the Artsakh issue, underscoring the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh by New South Wales.

The issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition was also addressed during the meeting.

“I hope that the day of justice will come, and Australia will fully recognize the fact of the Armenian Genocide. This is needed also for preventing new genocides,” Vice Speaker Saghatelyan said, in part, and in this context touched upon the process in the direction of establishing Armenian-Turkish relations.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan underscored that Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan and that the conflict must be resolved within the OSCE Minsk Group.

Joel Fitzgibbon also attached importance to the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, as well as uniting the international community’s efforts for this purpose in order to prevent new genocides in the future.

Other issues relating to the development of the Armenian-Australian ties, as well as issues of mutual-interest were discussed.

Azerbaijanis force out, at gunpoint, Karabakh farmers cultivating vineyards

 NEWS.am 
Armenia – Feb 16 2022



CivilNet: Karabakh says all regions lost to Azerbaijan are defined as “occupied”

CIVILNET.AM

16 Feb, 2022 09:02

On February 15, the Parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh unanimously adopted a draft law on the occupied territories of Karabakh. The draft law considers all regions which were lost due to Azerbaijani aggression in the 1990s, 2016 and 2020, as “occupied territories.” What could this mean for the negotiating position of the Armenian side?

Credits: Ruptly

Armenia reports 1307 daily COVID-19 cases

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 11:07,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. 1307 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one day, the ministry of health reported.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 408,381.

The COVID-19 recoveries rose by 3514 in a day, bringing the total to 379,126.

The death toll has risen to 8201 (15 death cases in past day).

5359 COVID-19 tests were conducted on February 14. 

The number of active cases is 19,479.

Kalkan: Turkey, PDK target leaders of Kurdish people

Hawar News Agency
Feb. 8, 2022
[A member of the Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK), Duran Kalkan, confirmed that Turkey, in cooperation with the
Kurdistan Democratic Party, targets the leaders of the Kurdish people,
with the aim of intimidating them, so the leaders should organize the
struggle more deeply.]
A member of the Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Workers Party
(PKK), Duran Kalkan, indicated that whoever stands in the face of the
terrorist organization  ISIS must stand in the face of the fascist
coalition of the Justice and Development Party and the National
Movement (AKP-MHP), which is the other side of the terrorist
organization in terms of their mentality, their approach, and their
lives.
 Participating in the special program on Haber TV, a member of the
Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Duran
Kalkan, spoke about the legendary struggle by the leader Abdullah
Ocalan in the conditions of absolute isolation imposed on him in his
prison in Imrali.
 Duran Kalkan said: "The regime of severe isolation continues against
the leader Abdullah Ocalan, and many institutions have put this issue
on their agenda on the basis of bringing about some change, but
nothing has changed. Everyone ignores this violation of international
laws and rights. The dominant regimes are satisfied with this, and the
isolation imposed in Imrali is evidence of the international
conspiracy, against the leader Ocalan. this is evidence of the
repressive and fascist regime directed against the Kurdish people.
 They think they will force leader Ocalan to say things against his will
He continued: "They have closed the doors of Imrali so that the leader
does not communicate. Turkey speaks on his behalf, opponents and heads
of parties.  In its struggle for the freedom of the leader Ocalan,
this is impossible. Our people have shown a position about it, it
should be further strengthened until the leader is liberated.
 Also, this position shows that the system in Imrali is a political
detention system, they resort to such a system because they are unable
to force the leader Ocalan to say what they want, and this is the best
evidence that the Turkish state does not enjoy rights and laws and all
its laws are false, and it has  political goals, and it also has a
political detention system."
 They confronted the policy of denial, execution and extermination
 During his speech, Duran Kalkan reminded that they are on the 23rd
anniversary of the international conspiracy on February 15, and said:
"We struggle against it. Our people called this day the 'Black Day'.
As for the leader Ocalan, he called it the day of the 'Kurd
Extermination'."  I salute the continuous historical resistance that
the leader Ocalan has been waging for 23 years against the regime of
isolation, and I also remember our heroic martyrs who turned into a
ring of fire under the slogan "You will not be able to block our sun",
with all respect and gratitude.
 It is not possible to define the February 15 plot without addressing
the October 9 plot, as this plot was launched with the aim of
eliminating Leader Ocalan through the conspiracy, and because they
were unable to achieve it, they resorted to the February 15 plot by
the fascist Turkish state;  Our people and our leader have been waging
a legendary struggle against this regime of isolation and torture for
23 years, and this means that the policy of extermination and denial
has been confronted, and this is what constituted the third
resurrection of the leader, and made the whole world recognize his
truth, and turned him into the leader of all the oppressed. This fact
is gradually expanding and It will be the biggest event of the
twenty-first century."
 Those who struggle against ISIS should also fight against its supporters
 A member of the Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Workers' Party,
Duran Kalkan, also evaluated the struggle against ISIS, saying: "I
salute the heroic struggle that our people have been waging against
ISIS for 8 years, and I remember the martyrs of this struggle with all
respect and appreciation in Al-Hasakah, they represent the hope of
humanity, the will and the future of humanity.
 There are some forces that must do something concrete about ISIS.
The United States, for example, says that Abdullah Qardash was killed
after killing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, meaning that the two leaders of
the terrorist organization ISIS were eliminated, so where did ISIS
come from?  This should be well defined.  They support each other.
Where were Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Abdullah Qardash hit?  In an area
under the control of the Turkish state, and on its borders;  Well, is
it not the responsibility of the Turkish state and the alliance of the
Justice and Development Party and the National Movement?  Why don't
they say anything, just say they are doing us harm in our struggle
against ISIS, this is not acceptable.
 The attacks that were launched in al-Hasakah did not target the
prison, which contained ISIS terrorists, but rather were attacks to
eliminate the Autonomous Administration and occupy the entire area.
These attacks were not carried out with force and normal preparations,
but behind them was a large force that prepared itself greatly.
Abdullah Qardash death was a response to these attacks in general.
 Those who support these attacks are the alliance of the Justice and
Development Party, the National Movement and the Turkish State.
Everyone must realize this fact, and those who claim to be struggling
against ISIS must struggle against those who support and finance ISIS
and follow its ideology, which is the alliance of the Justice and
Development Party, the National Movement and the Turkish State, and so
on.  Goes in the wind and meaningless.
 They launch attacks in response to the defeat of the terrorist
organization ISIS
 The terrorist organization ISIS attacked the city of Al-Hasakah on
January 20, but was defeated.  Complicated with the victory of the
Justice and Development Party, the nationalist movement, and the
defeat of the terrorist ISIS means their defeat, as the attack
targeted the three areas in which ISIS was defeated in 2014, and this
is the reason for its revenge.  Kurdish genocide.
 They use the KDP as a tool to achieve their ends
 Turkey uses the KDP as a tool in its hand. Did Nechirvan Barzani
understand something of Kurdishism?  Does he not know that the people
will hold him accountable?  Do you think the Turkish state is that
strong?  Are the Kurds worthless to this extent?  Who accepts this?
This is clear and I will not talk about this subject much.
 They raise discussions about civilians and they themselves bomb them
 Another thing I'd like to point out is: Those who stand up the
attacks, they discuss the attack on civilians, of course civilians
shouldn't be hit, well is it legitimate to attack non-civilians?  What
is this logic?  What is their right?  And what is the right of the
Turkish army to attack the protection forces in northern and eastern
Syria, the Makhmour Protection Forces, and the Shingal Protection
Forces?  It must be properly discussed, they are supposed to resist
the attacks but they resist them in this way, and this resistance is
an obsolete position, they also say that it is not civilian but
military, attacks are launched on soldiers in civilian clothes, so
this approach should be criticized and closely condemned,  All the
attacks carried out are fascist genocide attacks, most of the attacks
on organized forces, resistance and freedom are brutal attacks, these
forces are the most valuable values, they must be solidarity and
supported.
 We must strengthen our organization and step up our struggle
 The Kurdish people everywhere showed a strong reaction, and it must
be continued, as the Turkish occupation, through these attacks and
intelligence operations carried out by the Kurdistan Democratic Party,
wants to identify the targeted places and people, and strike them
through modern military techniques to eliminate them and intimidate
the people. This matter has become clear,  Then the leaders must be
careful and defend themselves better, and the people should also
benefit from this and beware of it, and the ranks of the organization
and the resistance must be developed in creative ways.
 Makhmour people will not allow such violations. Such attacks have
been carried out dozens of times against this people, but they do not
realize who this people is. It is the people of Botan. The people of
Şengal and Rojava have lived and recognized the will of freedom. The
Turkish occupation with its attacks cannot break the will of this
resistant people.
 

Russian State Duma legislator Vladimir Zhirinovsky hospitalized in serious condition in Moscow

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 16:47, 9 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and the State Duma legislator Vladimir Zhirinovsky has been admitted to the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, reports TASS.

The condition of the 75-year-old politician is serious, a source in political circles told TASS on Wednesday.

“Vladimir Volfovich has been hospitalized, he is in hospital in a serious condition. <...> At the Central Clinical Hospital, he’s been there for a couple of days already”, the source said.

Earlier, Telegram channels posted reports that allegedly Zhirinovsky had been hospitalized at the Central Clinical Hospital, and his health was being monitored by physicians. The press service of the Liberal Democratic faction in response to a request by TASS to comment on the reports of his hospitalization said that Zhirinovsky continues to work and is feeling well.

Save Armenian Monuments Decries Azerbaijan’s Heritage Purge Organ

Feb 7 2022

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Save Armenian Monuments 

Feb 07, 2022, 16:53 ET


NEW YORKFeb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Save Armenian Monuments condemned the Azerbaijani government’s February 3 launch of a “working group of specialists to remove the fictitious traces written by Armenians.”

Azerbaijan announced the heritage purge organ during the visit of top European Union officials Kadri Simson and Olivér Várhelyi, who offered a €2 billion aid package to Azerbaijan.

The purge organ plans to eliminate the entire indigenous epigraphic heritage of the disputed Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh that Azerbaijan partially conquered in late 2020. The official justification for the erasure is a state-sponsored conspiracy theory in Azerbaijan that reimagines ancient Armenian monuments as stolen from a long-extinct culture.

“We are nauseated by Azerbaijan’s brazen belligerence to continue its targeting of Armenian sacred sites,” remarked Dr. Virginia Davies, President of Save Armenian Monuments. “The purge organ does not just violate the December 7, 2021 International Court of Justice decision that ordered Azerbaijan to protect Armenian monuments,” continued Davies, “it is tantamount to a declaration of genocide, emboldened by the West’s shameless courting of Azerbaijan despite the latter’s 2020 aggression against Armenians and 1997-2006 state-sanctioned flattening of every Armenian cultural monument in the exclave of Nakhichevan.”

As Hyperallergic art magazine revealed on February 4 in its “Emboldened by Ukraine Crisis, Azerbaijan Escalates its War on Armenian Heritage Sites” report, Azerbaijan appears to be reassured by the €2 billion EU aid package and anticipated USA military aid release, which are perceived as vindications of the 2020 aggression on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Washington and EU are supporting a genocidal dictatorship that thrives on getting away with anti-Armenian crimes, while positioning themselves as defenders of democracies and oppressed peoples elsewhere. This tacit approval of the heritage purge committee is particularly shameful coming from President Joe Biden, who as a candidate criticized Turkey’s military support and mercenary supply for Azerbaijan in 2020 as ‘irresponsible’ but now appears uninterested in following his own advice,” remarked Davies.

Founded in 2020, Save Armenian Monuments LLC, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and subsidiary of the Eastern Prelacy, pursues the sustained safeguarding of in situ Armenian Christian heritage at risk, in particular protection and awareness-building of at-risk churches, monasteries, gravesites, stone crosses, and other sacred sites and structures located in Artsakh and the wider region, through activities including pilgrimages and education. Headquartered in New York, Save Armenian Monuments operates in collaboration with relevant institutional and individual stakeholders. 

SOURCE Save Armenian Monuments

Five Athletes Represent Armenia as Winter Olympic Games Kick Off

Armenia at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games

The 24th Winter Olympics kicked off in Beijing on Friday with Armenia being represented by five athletes, who took part in the parade of athletes during the opening ceremony.

The flag of the Armenian delegation was carried by skier Mikayel Mikayelyan and figure skater Tina Karapetyan.

Hailing from Ashotsk, Mikayelan and his family are considered a record-holding family in this history of Olympics. Mikayelyan, his brother Sergey and mother Alla were Team Armenia flag-bearers five times during past Olympic Games (Alla Mikayelyan in 1998 Nagano, Sergey Mikayelyan in 2014 Sochi, and Mikayel Mikayelyan in 2016 Lillehammer Youth Olympics).

Joining Mikayelyan and Karapetyan in the procession of athletes were skiers Katya Galstyan and Angelina Muradyan, as well as Karapetyan’s skating partner Simon Sénécal. The head of the Armenian delegation is Armen Grigoryan from the National Olympic Committee who was accompanied by other officials and coaches during the parade.

It was reported earlier that the President of the Ski Federation of Armenia Gagik Sargsyan, mountain skier Harutyun Harutyunyan and coach Arsen Nersisyan had all tested positive for the coronavirus and would not be attending the games in Beijing.

Around 2,900 athletes will compete in in the events. There will be 15 sports held at the Winter Olympics in Beijing this year. 

The 15 Winter Olympic sports in 2022 are bobsled, luge, skeleton, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, short track speed skating, curling, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, cross-country skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined.

[see video]