Strange Story: Mnatsakanyan on the Removal of the Nzhdeh Memorial Plaque

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, called the removal of the memorial plaque dedicated to National Hero Garegin Nzhdeh in the Russian city of Armavir a "strange story" during a press conference held today.

“At this moment, to be honest, it seems like a strange story. We need more comprehensive information, and in that direction, we and our embassy are working,” said Mnatsakanyan.

Mnatsakanyan noted that the plaque is located within the church's premises, and the church and the state are separated from each other. “Naturally, I wouldn’t want this issue to develop in such a way that it would concern the rights of religious minorities and lead to that level,” Mnatsakanyan added.

He stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to monitor the situation.

Earlier, media reports indicated that Alexey Vinogradov, a deputy from the Krasnodar Krai Duma, painted over the memorial plaque commemorating Garegin Nzhdeh with black paint in the yard of an Armenian church. Subsequently, the Armenian embassy in Russia expressed outrage regarding the incident.