“I’m Not Obliged to Follow Your Traditions”: Russian Influencer Faces Criminal Charges in Armenia Over Vardavar Remarks

A Russian social media influencer is facing criminal charges in Armenia after a video criticizing the country's Vardavar festival triggered widespread outrage and prompted an official investigation.

Armenia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against Russian Instagram blogger Nadezhda Pirozhkova, whose comments about the centuries-old holiday quickly spread across social media and drew sharp criticism from many Armenians.

In a video posted on her Instagram account, @pirzhokova_pro.online, Pirozhkova condemned Vardavar's signature tradition of people splashing water on one another in public. She described the celebration as a collision of what she called "Armenians' artificial culture and maximum tactlessness" and said the holiday made her want to leave the city.

The blogger also claimed that Armenians do not respect personal boundaries, arguing that throwing water on strangers is not a cultural tradition but an act of disrespect and aggression.

"If I am in your country, I am not obliged to follow your traditions," she said in the video.

The Investigative Committee told Factor.am that criminal proceedings were launched after authorities received complaints about the video's content. Police later identified the owner of the Instagram account and referred her to investigators.

Pirozhkova has been charged under Article 329, Part 2, Clause 3 of Armenia's Criminal Code, which covers public speech or the distribution of materials intended to incite hatred, discrimination, intolerance, or hostility.

Investigators have imposed a travel restriction preventing her from leaving the country while the case is under investigation.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

Vardavar is one of Armenia's oldest and most beloved celebrations, observed 14 weeks after Easter. While today it is recognized by the Armenian Apostolic Church as the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, the holiday traces its roots to Armenia's pre-Christian past. Across the country, people of all ages take to the streets to splash water on friends, family, strangers, and even passing vehicles, a tradition widely seen as a symbol of joy, renewal, and relief from the summer heat. The festival draws thousands of participants each year and is considered one of Armenia's most recognizable cultural traditions.

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