Armenian Flags Not Replaced by Russian Ones in Stepanakert

Independent MP Arman Babajanyan stated during his speech at the National Assembly that "the Armenian flags along the road from the entrance of Stepanakert to the brotherly cemetery have been replaced by Russian ones." ArmDaily.am contacted Stepanakert to verify the accuracy of Babajanyan's claim.

Vahram Balayan, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the Artsakh Parliament and a member of the Central Committee of the ARF in Artsakh, informed the news outlet that he personally has not witnessed such an event in Stepanakert, noting that he has only seen Armenian flags.

The media outlet also reached out to local resident Zhivair Avetisyan, who confirmed that all state institutions are adorned with the flags of Artsakh and Armenia, while Russian flags are installed in designated areas.

Aram Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sports of the Artsakh National Assembly, also denied the claim about collecting Armenian flags and replacing them with Russian ones. "What Arman Babajanyan said does not correspond to reality, because it is not that the Armenian flags are being replaced by Russian ones, rather, in some areas, Russian flags have also been added. Specifically, a Russian peacekeepers' checkpoint is located not far from the area mentioned by Mr. Babajanyan, which is why flags have been installed there. Armenian flags have not been replaced by Russian ones; such a thing does not exist," Harutyunyan stated.