Armenia’s defiant drag scene braves pushback

France 24
July 5 2026

Armenia sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. While in much of the European Union, the drag scene is mainstream, in Armenia it remains underground. Performers face threats of violence, stigma, police pressure and even rejection by their own families. Despite this, drag queens have built a vibrant, bustling community that has attracted both local Armenians and international crowds. They make up a passionate and determined microculture challenging ultraconservative norms. And this avant garde scene is, in turn, being influenced by Armenia’s evolving political landscape.

As Yerevan strengthens ties with the EU and distances itself from Moscow, this conservative Christian country has become a refuge for tens of thousands of Russians fleeing the war in Ukraine – reshaping Armenian society in unexpected ways.

Renée Bertini and Kal Berjikian from ENTR, alongside François Picard, take us inside this hidden microculture in an upcoming documentary, produced with support from the Pulitzer Center.

Watch video at https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/spotlight/20260704-armenia-s-defiant-drag-scene-braves-pushback

—

Mishustin to Hold Talks With Armenia’s Pashinyan in Yekaterinburg on Monday

The Eastern Herald
July 5 2026
Pashinyan’s visit to Yekaterinburg will be his first trip to Russia since Armenia’s parliamentary elections on June 7.
by Russia Desk
 July 5, 2026

MOSCOW – Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will hold talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yekaterinburg on Monday, the Russian government announced on Sunday.

Both prime ministers are scheduled to participate in the INNOPROM international industrial exhibition, which opens in Yekaterinburg on Monday. The bilateral meeting on the forum’s sidelines will be Pashinyan’s first visit to Russia since Armenia’s parliamentary elections on June 7, in which his Civil Contract party retained power.

The timing of the meeting carries weight beyond a routine diplomatic exchange. Armenia’s relationship with Russia has been under sustained strain for two years as Yerevan has distanced itself from Moscow-led security frameworks while deepening ties with the European Union. Pashinyan declined to host Collective Security Treaty Organisation exercises on Armenian soil in 2022 and has pursued EU accession negotiations that remain ongoing. Armenia has also refused to finance its contributions to the Russian-led CSTO security alliance, a concrete sign of the breach in the relationship.

That Pashinyan is traveling to Russia for the first time after the June elections signals that Yerevan has not closed the bilateral channel, even as its strategic orientation has shifted. The agenda for the Yekaterinburg talks was not detailed in the Russian government’s announcement. Russia’s broader diplomatic calendar remains active, with Putin and Trump having spoken by phone on Saturday for the 14th time in 18 months. What the two prime ministers discuss on Monday, and whether either side characterizes the meeting as a reset or simply as a forum-sideline exchange, will determine how the encounter is read in both capitals.

https://easternherald.com/2026/07/05/mishustin-pashinyan-yekaterinburg-innoprom-monday-2026/

—

Israel’s Recognition of the Armenian Genocide Isn’t Enough

Middle East Forum
July 5 2026

Israel Should Use Its Position to Moderate Azerbaijani Racism and Incitement Against Armenians

—

Armenia’s top court rejects pro-Russia opposition’s request to throw out elec

The Print, India
July 4 2026
July 4 (Reuters) – Armenia’s constitutional court on Saturday rejected a request by the country’s pro-Russian opposition to overturn the results of a June parliamentary election, in which pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s party was re-elected, state news agency Armenpress reported.

Armenpress reported that the court had upheld the result, rejecting an appeal by the Strong Armenia opposition bloc, which took 23.3% of the vote, and which said there had been irregularities in the poll.

The ruling Civil Contract party took almost 50% of the vote.

—

168: The Artsakh conflict in 1990: a look at a declassified US CIA document

July 5, 2026

On December 24, 2012, the US Central Intelligence Agency’s analytical bulletin is declassified. The document deals with national and territorial conflicts in the USSR.

The secret document does not indicate the date and month of writing, but from the content it can be concluded that it was written in the second half of 1990, since the document mentions events in June 1990.

Read also

  • I heard and was horrified. Is Armenia a testing ground? God forbid they apply the experience of Ukraine and Moldova. It’s a lie, what a 450 million market… Bulgaria’s agriculture was destroyed in 1-2 years. Sergey Manasaryan
  • Poor, pitiful, dependent… They are afraid to even say a word because of the fear of Turkey. Ruben Melkonyan
  • Armenian SSR. the reaction of the Khrushchev report at the XX Congress and the boomerang of “de-Stalinization”.

The document talks about the territorial disputes between the republics of the USSR, ethnic conflicts, as well as the historical demands of the borders between the republics.

In this context, the territorial problems of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria and Crimea are mentioned. Special emphasis is placed on the impact these conflicts can have on US foreign policy, as well as on the stability of the USSR. It is noteworthy that the conflict in Artsakh is specially mentioned and it is emphasized that it is the only real inter-republic war over Armenia, Azerbaijan and Artsakh on the territory of the USSR at the moment.

 

In 1990, the Artsakh conflict already turned into armed clashes. At the beginning of the year, massacres of Armenians took place in Baku. Self-defense and volunteer squads were formed in Artsakh, armed clashes took place in different regions of Artsakh. Attacks by Azerbaijanis took place in the direction of Akna and Martuni. It was clear that full-scale war was inevitable.

Returning to the secret document, we should note that it has the following heading: «Types of disputes. Fifty Ways to Leave a Loved One», and the subtitle.

«Border and territorial disputes between and within Soviet republics fall into one or both of two general categories»:

Below we present only those parts of the declassified document that refer to the Artsakh issue and Armenia.

“In some cases, these “islands” are composed of such ethnic groups that have their national republic in another place. Sometimes these groups have local administrative units, for example, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, but more often they do not, for example, the Russians living throughout the territory of the USSR.”

“Among the inter-republican territorial conflicts, the only one that is currently in actual progress is the dispute over the territory of Nagorno Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

“Ethnic groups that want to unify the territory they inhabit or control to the republic of their same nationality. for example, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh or some Russians living in Ukraine, Estonia and Kazakhstan. Although only Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians receive support from their republic, other groups also continue to be a destabilizing factor in the political life of the republics.

“These demands, which often preceded or resulted from ethnic violence, are unlikely to disappear without some compromises by the governments of the republics. They are largely the result of the often arbitrary and discriminatory national policies of the Stalinist era, in which some small nations were handed over to the rule of their historical adversaries, while others were given administrative control over disproportionately large areas.

As a result, accumulated grievances, often deepened by historical animosities, have created a situation in a number of republics, notably Moldova and Georgia, where small ethnic groups claim they cannot receive fair treatment while under the control of the republic’s authorities. Many of these groups have stated that if the respective republics try to leave the USSR, they will try to separate from those republics. (See: THE TYPES OF DISPUTES: FIFTY WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER):

 

The secret document presents what national-territorial problems and conflicts existed between the republics of the USSR in 1990. In this context, the issue of Artsakh is specifically mentioned and it is emphasized that a large-scale war is inevitable in the near future.

It is interesting that the document mentions that the only option for solving such conflicts is political compromise.

In 2020 and 2023, it became clear that the RA authorities of that period and the present chose the above-mentioned version of the destruction of Artsakh.

 

Z. I hesitated




—

“Strong Armenia” will take the mandates. Karapetyan

July 5, 2026

We have blocked Aliyev’s constitutional amendments, said Narek Karapetyan, a member of the council of the “Strong Armenia” party.

“For the first time in history, Pashinyan does not have a constitutional majority, he lost the trust of the majority of the people for the first time.

We will win the municipal elections and continue to expand the trust of the people, and at the final stage, the people of Armenia will democratically change the current government,” said Karapetyan.

—

“I’m opening my theater, constantly fighting with a concrete wall is tiring. Something

July 5, 2026

On June 3, on the anniversary of Hakob Ghazanchyan, the President of the Union of Theater Workers of Armenia, Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Armenia, the play “Live While You Live” directed by Maro Madoyan-Alajadjian was staged.

 

The heroine of the performance was once one of the famous singers of Armenia, but she has been living in Los Angeles for 30 years. The story begins on his 60th birthday, when he eagerly awaits the visit of his children, but they do not come, busy with their daily problems and work.

The heroine’s sister, who works at the medical center, suggests celebrating the anniversary there. From that moment, the destinies of different people intersect in the center, the stories and values ​​of life collide, new relationships and new love are born. The play tells about love, hope and not losing faith in life, reminding that one can love, dream and live life to the fullest regardless of age, it’s never too late to love, dream and live life to the fullest.

Read also

  • “The tale of Artsakh love” or “Ara, pa sti pen kini?” Stepanakert theater is being reorganized after 2 years
  • “The Artsakh resident was left alone, surrounded by enemies and traitors.” the book presenting the history of the Stepanakert Drama Theater was republished
  • Artists from 6 countries united around the musical “Prime Time”. “with love and not bayonets”

This play was staged for the first time in Tbilisi, at the Shota Rustaveli Theater, at the invitation of Robert Sturua, 3 years ago. 3 years later, the moment to stage in Yerevan was ripe.

“We localized the play for Tbilisi. Not only was the play translated into Georgian, but we also made everything about Georgians. Until now, this play is being played there without a hitch. Now they are on tour all over Georgia. I had not staged in Yerevan and I really wanted to stage it, it was constantly in my mind. And now, since I am opening my own theater, I decided to include it in the theater schedule. This is not the first one, we already have three performances. We will have two more during the summer, we will open the theater with about six performances and a ready-made schedule,” after the play’s premiere. of 168.am Hakob Ghazanchyan mentioned in a conversation with

Then Hakob Ghazanchyan detailed why he decided to open his own theater, stressing that he wants to be independent.

“In my life, that is, in independent Armenia, I have seen a lot of incompetent people in leadership positions and the interference of these incompetent people in theater life. I am already tired.

Now, the appointment of Tigran Virabyan to the post of Deputy Minister of KGSMS is very encouraging, he is, however, born of the theater. He was the director of the theater and knows the problems of the theater. But before that, there were constant experiments: theaters should make money, theaters should not have an artistic director, theaters should be this way, that way. Constantly fighting with that concrete wall is already tiring. Now I will work in an independent, private theater.

Recently, I was looking at one of my interviews from 15-20 years ago, even then I say this sentence that I dream of having my own theater, where I will be both the worker on the stage, and the leader, and the guard, and the decorator. Now I finally decided to take that step,” added the director.

 

Hakob Ghazanchyan said that he left Paronyan Theater silently, he did not have any conflict, no one told him to leave.

“I decided to go myself. And now I am opening my theater. And thanks to God, there won’t be any similar intervention that I talked about,” he said.

As for the difficulties associated with the opening of the theater, especially since the theater does not have a building at the moment, Hakob Ghazanchyan said that he has many friends who will provide their stages, and then there is a sponsor.

“I don’t expect any palaces. The important thing is the theater, the building is secondary. I don’t want to talk about the name of the theater for now, let’s wait, we will have an official opening in two weeks at the most and we will tell everything.

 

As you saw, Artur Karapetyan and Larisa Ghevondyan were professionals on the stage, the rest of the cast are students of my final year of “Galya Novents” theater school. They will be the core of the new theater. I’m lucky, I have a good course,” emphasized Hakob Ghazanchyan.

It should be noted that after the performance, Hakob Ghazanchyan handed over their diplomas to the graduates of the “Galya Novents” theater school.

—

The actual electoral support of the forces led by Pashinyan did not exceed votes

July 5, 2026

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the RA Vardan Oskanyan stated that the results of the June 7 parliamentary elections do not reflect the true will of the voters.

According to his assessment, the real support of the “Civil Agreement” party was 35-39 percent, and the higher result was formed as a result of election fraud and violations.

“Now that the Constitutional Court has already published its verdict on the contested parliamentary elections of June 7, let me present my personal verdict as well. Following in detail the entire electoral process: the election campaign, the day of silence, the voting day, the counting of votes, the events that followed, as well as the hearings held in the Constitutional Court and the evidence presented, today I am more convinced than ever that the real electoral support of the force led by Nikol Pashinyan did not exceed the votes. 35-39 percent. In my estimation, the result obtained more than that was formed as a result of systematic manipulations, numerous violations and electoral fraud.

During the 35-year statehood of Armenia, there have been contested elections in the past, and, as a rule, the normal life of the state has continued. However, this time the situation is fundamentally different.

First, the volume, depth and organization of election fraud, I believe, are unprecedented in the history of Armenia. Secondly, these elections were organized by the government that came to power in 2018 with the promise of eliminating electoral fraud once and for all. Therefore, today’s accusations attack not only the results of these elections, but also the foundations of the political and moral legitimacy of that government. And thirdly, Armenia has never been at such an ontological crossroads as it is today. When fundamental issues related to the sovereignty, security, national identity and future of the state are on the agenda, the issue of the legitimacy of the government becomes crucial.

Armenia has never found itself in such a situation where the government that declared victory in the elections first caused so much pain, destruction and loss to the Armenian people during the past eight years of its rule, and at the same time promoted such programs that change the nature of Armenian statehood. create a “Fourth Republic”, change the Constitution, provide a “corridor”, transfer the sovereign territories of Armenia to Azerbaijan, change and control the Armenian Apostolic Church, reformulate the pillars of Armenian national identity and implement other similar initiatives.

Regardless of one’s position on these issues, they are issues of such historical and ontological significance that even their raising, let alone discussion or implementation, cannot be based on disputed legitimacy or a highly questionable electoral mandate,” he wrote.

—

Never in the last 8 years have so few babies been born as this year

July 5, 2026

While the authorities have been talking for years about creating favorable conditions for living in Armenia, improving the lives of citizens, establishing peace and bringing prosperity, the demographic situation in our country is not improving in any way.

It is not improving because, on the one hand, people are leaving the country, on the other hand, they are not in a hurry to connect their future with Armenia or the Armenian authorities. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the demographic situation in our country is continuously deteriorating.

The birth rate is especially worrying. According to official statistics, the birth rate in Armenia decreased again this year.

9641 children were born in the first 4 months of the beginning of the year.

Read also

  • Pashinyan is punishing his voters
  • If you want peace, prepare for war. On the Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, important truths were remembered in Baku, and that 12 servicemen were lost in the July battles.
  • Baku is the only war criminal of the April war. ECHR’s clear records in response to Baku court’s unsubstantiated accusations

This is unprecedented in that such a low indicator has not been recorded in at least the last 8 years.

In the last 8 years, there has not been any year when so few children were born in Armenia in the first 4 months of the beginning of the year. Of course, this is not the first year that the birth rate in Armenia is decreasing, but such a low rate has not been recorded. Even in the year of the 44-day war and the year that followed, incomparably more children were born in Armenia than were born this year.

2019 10.5 thousand children were born in the first 4 months, 10.2 thousand in 2020, 11.5 thousand in 2021, 10.7 thousand in 2022, 11.4 thousand in 2023, and 10.5 thousand in 2024.

Last year, more children were born in Armenia than this year, although the number of births dropped below 10,000. This year, the number of births decreased even more. And this is in the case that now the children who were born in Artsakh before are also born in Armenia.

After the depopulation of Artsakh, now the children of Artsakh are also born in Armenia.

We are talking about at least 120 thousand newly born children of Artsakh Armenians. Despite this, the birth rate in Armenia is decreasing, and this year an unprecedentedly low rate was recorded.

The reason for the decrease in the birth rate is not only that people do not have confidence in the future, no matter how much the authorities talk about peace and prosperity. Today, the children of those young people who were sacrificed during the 44-day war and the subsequent period were to be born in Armenia. The sad picture that we have today in terms of birth rate is one of the direct consequences of this, and it will be felt for years to come.

It is the second year that less than 10 thousand children are born in Armenia in the first 4 months of the beginning of the year. Last year, 9.7 thousand were born, this year – 9.6 thousand. Before that, at least in the previous 8 years, there was no case where less than 10,000 children were born in Armenia. In some years, it even exceeded 11 thousand.

For example, in 2021 11.5 thousand children were born in Armenia in the first 4 months. Births exceeded 11 thousand in 2023 as well. In all subsequent years, only a decrease has occurred. Already this year 2021 in comparison, almost 2 thousand less children were born in Armenia. And not counting that the children born in Artsakh at that time were not born in Armenia.

The decrease in the birth rate, which directly affects the demographic picture, is an extremely worrying problem for Armenia. At one time, there was a program by which birth rates were promoted, starting with the third child, they gave 1.5 million drams all at once. They considered that the program has already fulfilled its mission. Last year, they decided to turn 1.5 million AMD into 500 thousand drams for all newly born children.

It is not that as a result of this, significant changes in terms of birth rate were recorded, but it was still a certain stimulus. But they decided that this incentive has exhausted itself.

There are other fertility promotion programs, but they hardly produce any results. It is not surprising that every year fewer children are born in Armenia, and this has its effect on the natural growth of the population.

Instead of increasing the population through natural growth, they fill the country with foreigners. In recent years, the number of foreigners in Armenia has increased significantly. And since they cannot improve the demographic situation of the country with Armenians, they have said more than once that they are going to do it at the expense of settling foreigners in Armenia.

Perhaps there is nothing strange in the fact that the society reacts very strongly to the announcements that 300 thousand Azerbaijanis are going to come to Armenia. No matter how much the authorities try to deny these regularly circulated information, the public does not trust these denials and has good reasons for it.

The demographic picture in Armenia has worsened in recent years and is getting worse not only because births are decreasing, but also because tens of thousands of people have left in recent years. Last year, when only 6-7 thousand more people came from abroad than left, it was almost announced to the whole world that they had recorded a world-level achievement: emigration from Armenia not only stopped, but also immigration began. But before that, about 150,000 people left the country only in the last 4-5 years of the KP government, not a word.

If in 2021 There were about 2.6 million voters in Armenia, already this year their number is within 2.5 million. The number of voters decreased by almost 100 thousand, mainly because people left the country. It has decreased, despite the fact that after the loss of Artsakh, several tens of thousands of Artsakh residents became Armenian citizens and voters.

Even after all this, fewer children were born in Armenia this year than in the last 8 years.

At this pace, it is not difficult to imagine where the country is going. This is how the citizen sees his future in the peaceful, prosperous and prosperous Armenia brought by this government.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN




—

Wasn’t the Chechen war a lesson? 1999 Putin saved Russia once, right?

July 5, 2026

“Pressing” in the program Satik Seyranyan the guest՝ political scientist, historian Gagik Hambaryan, spoke to the Russian political elite From the attitude and position regarding Armeniaandm:from

“There is a word and there is a deed. Russians’ words and deeds contradict each other. Let’s remember that after the war, the partisans hid in the crevices, they came out like mushrooms after Putin’s infamous statement when he said: “Никол Воваевич не предатель”. They saved Nikol’s power in 2021. The Russian wrapped Nikol around our neck in 2020. after November 9.

The Turanian road, that TRIPP, is a program developed in Turkey 120 years ago, which is now reincarnated by Erdogan. If the Russians did not think about us, they would at least think about themselves, that they would not allow the existence of the TRIPP Pan-Turan road taken under the American flag.

Regarding TRIPP, there are minimum and maximum plans, the minimum is the connection of the Turkish worlds, the maximum is the disintegration of the major regional superpowers, Iran, Russia and China. Doesn’t Russia realize that the South Caucasus becomes uncontrollable by it, that they will lose the North Caucasus later? Wasn’t the Chechen war a lesson when Russia almost lost the South Caucasus, and only Putin’s coming to power saved the situation? Yakuts are peoples of Turkish origin… Russia is threatened with disintegration if this continues. doesn’t Russia understand that they can reach as far as Siberia… Putin’s corrupt administration cooperates with the anti-Russian Godnisanovs, Ilevs, Aliyev’s ex-brother-in-law Agalarovs for short-term benefits…

Read also

  • I heard and was horrified. Is Armenia a testing ground? God forbid they apply the experience of Ukraine and Moldova. It’s a lie, what a 450 million market… Bulgaria’s agriculture was destroyed in 1-2 years. Sergey Manasaryan
  • Saying death. the Azerbaijanis will definitely come to say: wow, what happened? Ruben Melkonyan
  • Iranian messages to Yerevan. Is Tehran waiting for a strategic clarification?

These are all dollar billionaires and serve non-Russian interests. I want to understand what else someone like Naryshkin will have to do against Russia in order for Putin to get rid of him. How can a man like Putin claim that Erdogan is his friend? As they say, “I don’t believe Moscow’s words,” Gagik Hambaryan said.

The latter noted again: “I have said and I repeat that Nikoli was wrapped around our neck by Russia after November 9, 2020. Having participated in that color revolution in Armenia in 2018 with the West, how did the workers of the institutions controlled by the Russians flock to the streets and towards Nikol?

“I understand that any country has its interests, and that’s normal, and we should also have our interests, but the most important issue here is the following: we can criticize everyone, but we also understand that Russia and Iran have vital interests here, and a strong Armenia is most beneficial to Russia and Iran.

Thinking about its fate, let Russia think about us a little. Does Russia think about itself? I just mentioned what will happen to Russia as a result of the same neo-panturanism and neo-pan-Ottomanism policy and the Western patronage behind it. Well, let Russia, thinking a little about itself, also think about the Armenian people, because we really haven’t been bad during these 200 years,” said the political scientist.

Gagik Hambaryan noted that he was never anti-Russian, on the contrary.

“I am also categorically against false anti-Russianism or false pro-Westernism. Yes, they try to blame everything on the Russians, say, for example, they say that in 1918, 1921, the Russians gave our lands to the Turks under the Moscow and Kars treaties. Before the Treaty of Moscow, on March 14, 1921, 2 days ago in London, how did the West finally bury the Armenian issue, that is, what is allowed to the West, is not allowed to Russia.

I am also categorically against this anti-Russian attitude. we must analyze the historical processes, as Armenians, as independent Armenians, also referring to the facts of how the West sold us to the Turks after the Treaty of Sevres on August 10, 1920. What did he get from the Turks? how did the same French take the mandate that they should form an independent Armenian state in Cilicia, they ran away in the end, sold it in the fall of 1921, signed a secret agreement with the Turks in Ankara and left. But that contract is still valid…” concluded Gagik Hambaryan.

Details in the video.




—