DISINFO: Armenia glorifies fascism
SUMMARY
The association with the European Union is not the only thing Armenia does like Ukraine: it’s hard to believe, but Yerevan also glorifies the accomplices of fascism. In May 2016, in particular, a monument to Garegin Nzhdeh – an Armenian Bandera – was erected in Yerevan. He is a hero for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia with its ideology of national conservatism, and the RPA logo resembles the symbols of the Third Reich.
RESPONSE
Zvezda TV, owned by Russia’s Ministry of Defence, is well known to spread disinformation euvsdisinfo.eu/dependent-media-russias-military-tv-zvezda/, . Armenia is not a fascist country, however it is a common narrative that pro-Kremlin outlets uses about countries/persons that the Kremlin disagrees with, for example Ukraine euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=fascism&disinfo_issue=&date=, . Nzhdeh was one of the prominent military leaders of a short-lived independent Armenian republic formed in 1918. In 1920, he mounted armed resistance against the republic’s takeover by Bolshevik Russia in Zangezur, a mountainous region in what is now southeastern Armenia. He is widely credited with preserving Armenian control over Zangezur. The Spokesperson of the Armenian Embassy in Russia had a meeting with the Director of the Zvezda TV channel, who had explained that it was a mistake, a negligence by the editorial staff and apologized, and then in a few hours the official apology letter was sent to the Armenian Embassy. The full text of the letter was read in Armenian during the report. During the meeting the Director has informed that the TV channel is currently undergoing staff related issues and this negligence is caused by that factor.