Armenian people celebrate Victory Day amid Armenian authorities`  crackdown on "Great Patriotic War" phrase 

ArmInfo.  Festive events are taking place throughout Armenia to mark May 9 – Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War. More than 600,000 sons of the Armenian people  fought, with approximately 300,000 never returning from the front  lines

Just five years ago, this holiday held a special significance for  Armenians, who celebrated not only  the victory  in the Great  Patriotic War, but also the Liberation of Shushi and the formation of  the Artsakh Defense Army.  However, today's reality for the Armenian  people is different. In their congratulatory messages to the nation,  Armenian authorities not only omitted mentioning Artsakh and Shushi  but also shifted the emphasis regarding the terminology of the era.  In the messages issued by the Prime Minister, the President, and the  Speaker of the Parliament, the phrase "Great Patriotic War" is not  used once, contrary to long-standing tradition. Instead, their  messages refer exclusively to victory in World War II, a phrasing  commonly adopted by Western nations.

"May 9 is one of the most important days in our history and  collective memory, uniting the ideas of victory, remembrance, and  peace," Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan stated in his address  to the people.  "On this day, we pay tribute to all those who  selflessly fought to liberate humanity from fascism during World War  II. Their courage and resilience became the foundation of a victory  that changed the course of history. The Armenian people participated  in this struggle with honor. Tens of thousands of Armenians fought on  various fronts and suffered heavy losses, yet continued the struggle  for a peaceful and secure world with unwavering will. The heroic  deeds of Armenian soldiers and commanders are a vital chapter in the  history of the global victory," " stated Armenian President Vahagn  Khachaturyan in his message to the Armenian people. 

In his address, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan noted that  May 9 is a day of remembrance, respect, and peace. "Today we remember  and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the fight  against fascism. The Armenian people also made a significant  contribution and participated with dignity in this struggle: tens of  thousands of Armenians fought for a peaceful future and the freedom  of humanity on various fronts and as part of the Allied Forces," he  said, without specifying which Allied Forces he was referring to.

To mark Victory Day, Vahagn Khachaturyan, accompanied by the  country's top leadership, visited Victory Park to honor the memory of  those who fell in defense of the Motherland and peace. It should be  noted that the Prime Minister of Armenia did not participate in the  events in Yerevan, as he is currently engaged in election  campaigning.

Victory Park was also visited by the Catholicos of All Armenians,  Karekin II, who offered a prayer at the Eternal Flame. Other  attendees included Armenia's second president and leader of the  "Armenia" alliance, Robert Kocharyan, alongside his fellow party  members; representatives of the "Strong Armenia" party led by Narek  Karapetyan; and representatives from the "Wings of Unity," the  Armenian National Congress, the Democratic Party of Armenia, "Bright  Armenia," and the Prosperous Armenia Party. Members of the foreign  diplomatic corps accredited in Armenia and the leadership of Artsakh  were also in attendance.