Pashinyan to Parade New Weapons Days Before Vote; Opposition Calls It Political Theater

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced that newly acquired military equipment will be presented to the public during a large event in Yerevan later this spring, describing it as an “accountability event rather than a military parade.”

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Pashinyan said the event will take place on May 28 in Republic Square, the central location traditionally used for major state ceremonies. The date coincides with Republic Day, one of Armenia’s most important national holidays.

The prime minister emphasized that the government is taking steps to ensure the event is not interpreted as a shift away from Armenia’s stated commitment to peace. “A military parade is a very delicate phenomenon and can also create the impression of deviation from and abandonment of the peace agenda,” Pashinyan said. He noted that consultations are ongoing with international partners, including countries in the region, so that the display is not seen as contradicting Armenia’s recent diplomatic efforts.

“We are working and will continue to work with our partners in the international community, including the countries of the region, so that they do not perceive it in any way as an abandonment of the peace agenda,” he added.

The planned event comes as Armenian government continues negotiations with Azerbaijan aimed at formally ending more than three decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Against this background, the government appears to be trying to balance its security priorities with its diplomatic messaging.

Armenia last held a major military parade featuring heavy equipment in Republic Square in 2016, marking the 25th anniversary of independence. Since then, the country’s defense policy has undergone significant changes, especially following the 2020 war with Azerbaijan, in which Armenian forces suffered a defeat.

For many years, Armenia relied largely on weapons supplied by Russia. However, after effectively suspending its participation in a Russia-led defense alliance of former Soviet states, the country has increasingly turned to other partners for military procurement. In recent years, Armenia has focused mainly on acquiring equipment from India and France.

Since 2022, Armenia has reportedly obtained a wide range of modern military systems, including air defense missile systems, radars, rocket launchers, howitzers, anti-tank weapons, armored personnel carriers, as well as anti-drone and night-vision technologies. These acquisitions reflect a broader effort to modernize the armed forces and diversify military partnerships.

Defense Minister Suren Papikyan addressed the issue in parliament on Wednesday, stating that military spending has risen sharply in recent years. According to him, between 2022 and 2025, Armenia spent more than five times as much on weapons procurement as it did over the entire period from 1998 to 2018. He did not provide exact figures but described the increase as significant.

The announcement of the event follows earlier reports in local media suggesting that authorities were planning a military parade on May 28. The timing has drawn attention because it comes just 10 days before parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, in which Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party are seeking reelection.

Opposition groups have criticized the planned display, describing it as a pre-election move intended to influence public opinion. The government, however, has rejected that interpretation.

At the press briefing, Pashinyan said the idea of showing the newly acquired weapons had been discussed earlier in a different format. He recalled that he had initially promised to present the equipment to small groups of citizens. However, he explained that the number of requests became too large, making that approach difficult to manage. He also pointed to concerns that information about the weapons was being shared in a “partly distorted” way.

“That’s why it is better to show it [in a parade],” he said. “I believe it will be quite an impressive spectacle for the citizens of the Republic of Armenia.”

The event is expected to serve both as a public presentation of Armenia’s recent military acquisitions and as a demonstration of changes in the country’s defense strategy in the years following the 2020 war. At the same time, officials continue to stress that it does not signal a departure from ongoing efforts to secure long-term peace in the region.

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