Armenian Government Unveils New Equipment at Massive Republic Day Military Parade Ahead of Elections
- May 28
- 3 min read
Armenia marked Republic Day on Thursday with a large military parade in central Yerevan, showcasing newly acquired military equipment from India, France, China, and Iran. The event took place in Republic Square on the 108th anniversary of the proclamation of the First Republic of Armenia, which was established after centuries of foreign rule.
The Armenian Report was in Republic Square covering the event the atmosphere among citizens, and reactions surrounding the display of Armenia’s new military capabilities ahead of the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections on June 7.
Hundreds of Armenian soldiers marched through the center of Yerevan during the parade. Military columns followed, displaying a wide range of equipment that Armenia has purchased in recent years as the government seeks to diversify its defense partnerships away from Russia.
Among the weapons systems demonstrated were Indian-made air defense, artillery, and rocket systems acquired through multimillion-dollar agreements signed after 2022. Armenia also publicly showcased French-made CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and Bastion armored vehicles.
The CAESAR artillery system is considered one of the most advanced mobile artillery systems currently in use worldwide. Reports have stated that Armenia signed an agreement with France two years ago for the delivery of 36 CAESAR howitzers.
For the first time, Armenia also publicly displayed the Iranian-made AD-08 Majid short-range air defense system. The appearance of the system marked what appears to be the first known Iranian weapons delivery to Armenia. Chinese-made CH-4 long-range drones were also demonstrated during the parade, along with several smaller attack and reconnaissance drones produced by Armenian defense companies.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the crowd at the opening of the parade and described the event as a presentation of Armenia’s “new army.”
“Today we present to you Armenia’s new army with new weapons, new uniforms and a new ideology,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a speech delivered at the start of the parade. “The core of this ideology is the following: the only task of the army is to defend the internationally recognized sovereign territory of Armenia.”
For decades, Russia had been Armenia’s primary supplier of military equipment and ammunition. However, relations between Yerevan and Moscow have deteriorated in recent years. Armenian officials have increasingly turned toward alternative defense partners, while Russia remains heavily focused on the war in Ukraine, which has significantly affected Russian military production and exports.
Pashinyan also argued that Armenia’s recent military acquisitions became possible after his government’s controversial decision in 2022 to recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh.
That decision remains one of the most debated political developments in Armenia in recent years. Critics argue that the move paved the way for Azerbaijan’s full takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, which resulted in the forced displacement of the region’s entire Armenian population to Armenia.
Opposition figures and critics of the government continue to accuse Pashinyan of failing to adequately rebuild Armenia’s armed forces following the country’s defeat in the 2020 war against Azerbaijan.
In previous years, large military parades in Armenia were traditionally organized on September 21, the country’s Independence Day. Opposition leaders claimed that holding this year’s military parade on Republic Day instead was politically motivated and linked to the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Former Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan, who now leads one of the opposition political forces participating in the elections, criticized the timing and political messaging surrounding the event.
“The context of the parade is that the current prime minister and his entourage, who humiliate our soldiers, their families and war veterans on a daily basis, are trying to hide their failures of the last six years behind the backs of our heroic soldiers,” Arman Tatoyan charged in a video message to citizens.
The military parade drew large crowds to Republic Square, where citizens gathered to watch soldiers, armored vehicles, missile systems, drones, and artillery units move through the center of the Armenian capital during the national holiday celebrations.
—
Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.
Comments