Military parades are always propaganda in nature; during election periods, they are primarily aimed at the domestic audience – analyst

The last military equipment parade, one could say, took place in 2016, and both then and now such events have been driven by political and domestic political considerations, military-political analyst David Harutyunov said in an interview with Aysor.am.

According to him, even after the April war, the goal was to demonstrate Armenia’s strength and showcase capabilities such as the “Iskander” missile system:

“Now there are clear domestic political reasons, particularly the upcoming parliamentary elections. Previously, there was a position that information about acquired weaponry would not be disclosed – what was being purchased and in what quantities. However, that approach has changed, and now we are seeing a shift toward greater disclosure. It is obvious that this is linked to pre-election considerations. Their argument that they are reporting to citizens has its own logic, but in terms of timing, it is evident that this shift is driven by the elections.”

According to Harutyunov, the primary purpose of organizing the parade is to help the authorities reproduce themselves politically: “I do not know exactly what they will present on May 28. This is a sphere where it is entirely possible that certain things will not be shown.

Any military parade is inherently propagandistic. It is not a military exercise or training event; it always serves a propaganda purpose. It may be directed at a domestic audience, as in our case, or at an external audience to demonstrate military power. The May 28 event should also be understood within that same propaganda logic.”