YEREVAN. – Today’s speculations over Garegin Nzhdeh are provocation and an attempt to drive a wedge between Armenia and Russia, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said he had not faced such an agenda in the Armenian-Russian relations. At the same time, in the context of historical events, he recalled that even before his participation in the Battle of Karakilisa, Garegin Nzhdeh participated in the battles during the Second Balkan War and on the fields of the First World War as an officer of the Russian army and was decorated with Russian military awards.

Pashinyan added that there are already publications in the Russian media that will make everything clear.

As for pouring red paint on the monument to Griboyedov in Yerevan, PM called it vandalism. He added that Griboyedov is a person symbolizing Armenia’s civilization choice.

“It was under Griboyedov that Armenia faced civilizational choice as to whether to become an Asian or European country. An appeal to the Russian emperor Peter the Great from Israel Ori [one of the leaders of the Armenian liberation movement - ed.], who was denied assistance in Persia and the Holy Roman Empire, predetermined European civilization as a direction for the development of Armenian nation,” he added.