Where Do We Find Armenians in the Russia-Ukraine Face-Off?

Image caption: Russian Invasion on Ukraine; Unprecedented Scale

Where do I start? It’s become common knowledge: Russia attacked on Ukraine after recognising the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk of Eastern Ukraine earlier last week. It’s become a bloody war already, with casualties expected to be above the Artsakh War numbers in only a matter of a few days.

Where do Armenians stand in all of this?

Hours after the recognition by RF President Putin, Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan released a statement welcoming the recognition. Arthur Tovmasyan, Artsakh’s Speaker of Parliament, said “we congratulate the people of Donbas on the legal-political recognition of the self-determination of the two republics.”

The sentiments were not similar on the other side of the aisle, though, as the MFA Spokesperson of Armenia, Vahan Hunanyan, said recognition of the two regions is not on the RA MFA’s agenda; “we hope that the necessary steps will be taken to reduce the tension and resolve the situation peacefully,” Hunanyan told Armenpress.

The Council of Europe has suspended Russia’s representation, with Armenia and Russia being the only two states voting against the resolution, Turkey abstaining, and Azerbaijan being absent from the vote.

Ukraine has previously heavily supplied Azerbaijan with arms, but the white phosphorus supply question has yet to be resolved. Investigative journalist Hovhannes Nazaretyan found no proof of said sale in an article. “This does not mean that it can be ruled out unequivocally, but any fact substantiating it has not been published yet,” says Nazaretyan in his article. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, Ukraine has never supplied white phosphorus bombs to anyone.

Another claim has been the supposed capture of an Armenian serviceman by Ukrainian forces. A video has been circulating of a tied-up man and his Armenian Army ID (without credentials) shown. RA MFA Spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan called this “complete disinformation.” The Armenian Embassy in Ukraine has also called it false news.

Two days after the war erupted, RA PM Pashinyan had a phone call with Putin, but Ukraine was not part of the publicised conversation.

Although unclear how many Armenians live in Ukraine, it is in the hundreds of thousands. Based on the 2001 census, around 100,000 Armenians lived in Ukraine; in 2019, 48,000 Armenia-born individuals were living in Ukraine. The RA Embassy in Ukraine has been trying to evacuate Armenians as quickly as possible. Ukraine hosts numerous Armenian cultural centers, schools, churches, and other institutions around the country. The RA MFA has also shown readiness to accept refugees.

The official stance of Armenia, as per a statement by the MFA, has been the following:

“We, of course, wish that the problems existing between the two friendly states would be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and negotiation, based on the norms and principles of international law and the UN Statute. We hope that the necessary steps will be taken to reduce tensions and settle the situation peacefully.”

Earlier on Sunday, a sign was hung on the Kyiv Bridge in Yerevan that supported the Russian Army. The sign did not have an affiliation/logo indiciation. Many contested the sign’s existence since, after many journalists’ visits, it was nowhere to be found. CCTV footage in the area eventually showed that the sign was up for nine minutes before being taken down.

Armenia abstained from voting at the UN’s Human Rights Council emergency debate resolution earlier on Monday. The Ministry of Economy has designated two Telegram group chats for all companies based in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia who want to relocate their offices to Armenia.

The Sumgait Pogroms, 34 Years Later

Image Caption: It’s Been 34 Years Since the Sumgait Pogroms (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Yerevantsi)

34 years ago, Armenians once again were persecuted in Sumgait, Azerbaijan SSR, due to their ethnic background. Although Soviet data estimates the deaths to be in the 30s range, Armenian sources claim 200+. Fortunately, due to Gorbachev’s policies of Glasnost and Perestroika, Western media was quick to follow with and report on the events.

34 years later, the pogroms are commemorated both in Armenia and abroad. Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan visited the Sumgait Pogrom Memorial in Stepanakert earlier on Monday.

A statement by the Armenian MFA read:
“34 years ago, on February 27-29, with the organisation of the Soviet Azerbaijani authorities and the connivance of law enforcement, the massacres of the Armenian population in the city of Sumgait were carried out, resulting in the killing of hundreds of Armenians, including women, children, elderly, and forcible displacement of thousands.”

As a response to the MFA’s statement, Azerbaijani MFA Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva said "as long as the Armenian government takes a position not to compromise on the basis of lies, unfortunately, the Armenian people will be deprived of peace and prosperity.”

On the other side of the pond, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. gave a speech in recognition of the anniversary of the Sumgait Pogroms.

Notable News

Image caption: Vancouver Sees Rallies of Armenians on Sumgait Pogroms Anniversary (Photo from Horizon Weekly)

• The US should call for the release of all Armenian POWs, said Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. Read it in full here.

• AYF of Canada in Vancouver rally for Sumgait Pogroms. More here.

• “Azerbaijan continues its policy of human rights abuses on border regions of Armenia,” says Armenian MFA Ararat Mirzoyan in a speech at the UN Human Rights Council.

• Armenia’s Engineering City sees potential of in-pouring French companies.

• Artsakh’s Khramort terrorized by Azerbaijani forces on the border. Russian peacekeepers intervene to halt the verbal terrorization.

• The newset Hollywood movie, “Hail Marry,” to star Angela Sarafyan. Read more here.

• Joel Alvarez TKO’d by Armenian UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan at the UFC Apex event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Signed soccer-superstar Henrikh Mkhitaryan jersey on auction in benefit of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology.

Multimedia Corner

Image caption: Lika Zakaryan Follows Artsakhtsis in the Aftermath of the 2020 War. (Photo by Lika Zakaryan for the Armenian Weekly)

• Read: Read this heart-wrenching piece of photojournalism by Artsakh-native journalist and a personal friend, Lika Zakaryan.
  
• Listen: Have you heard of Gorgeouz Beats? I listen to their Armo-inspired beats when I’m working, and so should you. Listen to them on YouTube here, Spotify here, and Apple Music here.
  
  
• Watch: Ever wondered what the interior of the old and inactive Soviet building of the Zvartnots International Airport looks like? I didn’t, and then I saw this TikTok video.
  
  
• Learn: “Accounts gathered by Moscow dissidents who have traveled to the area suggest rioters committed atrocities against Armenians, including the murder and mutilation of pregnant women in a maternity hospital.” Read the Washington Post’s 1988 coverage of the Sumgait Pogroms in a testimonial piece, right here.