What can recent act of vandalism in Yerevan mean for Armenian-Russian relations? Nazism and extremism cross the red line

With the desecration of the monument to the children of the Siege of Leningrad in Yerevan, Armenian chauvinism and extremism have once again clearly shown its true colours. Footage of a certain Samvel Shirinyan went viral in the Armenian section of social networks. It shows him tearing off the ribbons with the Russian tricolour, trampling on them and overturning the wreaths placed on the monument. The head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, ordered an investigation to be opened into the incident.

It is worth noting that recently news of vandalistic acts in Armenia has made the media. The only synagogue in Yerevan was attacked twice last year. But why should we be surprised? Have we not been witnesses to the fact that for 30 years the Armenians have been systematically destroying the cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people, not only in Karabakh and adjacent territories but also in Western Azerbaijan? Now the vandalism has reached the monument to the children of the Siege of Leningrad.

What does Russia think about this unprecedented act of vandalism? How will Moscow react to a new outbreak of Russophobia and Nazism in Armenia? Caliber.Az asked Russian political analysts to take these questions.

Actions aimed at damaging Russian-Armenian relations have intensified in Armenia since 2018, when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to power, according to Aslan Rubayev, an expert on CIS countries. Clearly, Pashinyan was charged with carrying out this special mission from the outset, even during the formation of his cabinet.

"It's known that Pashinyan owes his coming to power to the Soros structures, we all in the post-Soviet space know very well what they are. Soros' strategy is to destabilise the social and political institutions of certain countries as part of the 'divide and rule' idea, which benefits American clients. At the moment, this work in Armenia is aimed at removing the country from the circle of Russia's close partners, putting Moscow at loggerheads with Yerevan. The very behaviour of Armenia in recent years, its policy towards Azerbaijan even after the defeat in the 44-day war, is provocative and literally forces Azerbaijan into retaliation. It is the West that makes Yerevan behave as it behaves. In fact, the West's attitude towards Azerbaijan has always been extremely negative, especially after the restoration of the country's territorial integrity. Russia, on the other hand, is extremely hostile to this state of affairs. It needs peace in the region," Rubayev said.

The Russian political scientist believes that "external supervision is visible behind Yerevan's course".

Anti-Russian hysteria will continue, he said. And here, indeed, the West has managed to tangibly undermine Russian-Armenian relations.

"Moreover, Armenia with its pronounced anti-Russian policy will, it seems to me, turn into something similar to Ukraine. Armenia will ratchet up negative rhetoric against Moscow and engage in the undermining of relations. And the act of vandalising the monument dedicated to the Children of the Siege of Leningrad was done deliberately. Of course, Russia will not leave such acts unanswered," he said.

According to Russian writer and political scientist Kirill Sitnikov, what has happened in Armenia is a blatant act of vandalism: "No one, not even the most desperate scum, has ever dared to do such a thing".

"What could be more immoral than to attack the memory of the children of the Siege of Leningrad? Armenian extremism and Nazism have crossed a certain red line, it seems to me. With such actions, Armenia declares itself in the public space as a country of wild manners, even if they are allegedly committed by a single individual. Yes, there are a lot of Armenians living in Russia, and many of them are leading figures in science, culture and the arts. But what is happening in Armenia now raises certain questions. The fact is that in recent years there has been the formation of a certain anti-Russian column in this country, the minds of which have been largely nourished by the policy of glorification of Nazism in Armenia.

By the way, Armenians are very fond of accusing Azerbaijan and Türkiye of 'insulting' certain sacred places of the Armenian people. I have personally experienced this even in Russia when I listened to the rhetoric of an ultra-Nazi Armenian organisation at a public event. I also know that they recently tried to set fire to a synagogue in Armenia, and during the years of Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani Karabakh, religious sites, mosques and cemeteries were destroyed. Why so much hatred and aggression?

It seems to me that Russia should very resolutely take up the task of exposing Armenian Nazism and chauvinism, because it is obvious that these very sentiments are the basis of anti-Russian and, in general, hateful policies towards everything that is not Armenian," Sitnikov said.