Pietro Shakarian - May 9, Victory Day and Parade, Artsrun Hovhannisyan’s Historical Revision | Ep 436, May 15, 2025 [EP436]
Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2025 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Geopolitics | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 9, Victory Day and Parade
- Pashinyan, Aliyev Posture at Victory Day
- Artsrun Hovhannisyan’s Historical Revision
- Armenia and Artsakh Contributions to WW2
Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025
Show Notes
In this episode of Conversations on Groong, historian Pietro Shakarian joins us to discuss the evolving narratives surrounding Victory Day on May 9, 2025, particularly as they relate to Armenia, Russia, and the broader post-Soviet space. Shakarian examines how Armenia’s contributions to World War II are being downplayed amidst rising geopolitical tensions and how figures like Artsrun Hovhannisyan are attempting to rewrite the country’s historical role. The conversation also delves into the symbolic significance of the Immortal Regiment march in Armenia, the political posturing of Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev during the Moscow parade, and the story of Gevorg Kolozyan, an Armenian who became a resistance fighter in Italy during the war.
Main Topics Addressed
- Victory Day Parade in Moscow (May 9, 2025): A discussion of the geopolitical implications of Victory Day, including the attendance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the absence of Western leaders.
- Armenia’s Position and Posturing: Analysis of Nikol Pashinyan’s attendance at the parade without military support and Ilham Aliyev’s last-minute cancellation, highlighting the shifting regional dynamics.
- Historical Revisionism in Armenia: Artsrun Hovhannisyan’s portrayal of Armenia’s World War II legacy, downplaying Armenian contributions and promoting misleading narratives that echo Nazi rhetoric.
- Immortal Regiment March in Armenia: The significance of the Immortal Regiment as a unifying tradition in Armenia and how it serves as a counterpoint to the government’s efforts to reshape historical narratives.
- Gevorg Kolozyan - The Armenian in the Italian Resistance: The story of Gevorg Kolozyan, an Armenian from Gavar who joined the Italian resistance during World War II and is buried in Radicondoli, Tuscany.
Key Questions Discussed
- How is Victory Day being recontextualized globally amidst rising geopolitical tensions, especially by China and the United States?
- Why did Nikol Pashinyan attend the Moscow parade without sending a military contingent, and what message does this send to regional allies and adversaries?
- What are the potential implications of Artsrun Hovhannisyan’s historical revisionism for Armenian national identity and collective memory?
- How does the Immortal Regiment march in Armenia contrast with the state’s current attempts to downplay the country’s World War II legacy?
- Who was Gevorg Kolozyan, and how did his legacy as an Armenian resistance fighter in Italy resonate with the broader themes of wartime heroism and sacrifice?
Tribute to an Armenian Hero in Italy
Gevorg Kolozyan was just a young man from Nor Bayazet (today Gavar).
He was captured by the Germans during World War II. But Gevorg didn’t stay a prisoner. He escaped and joined the Italian resistance, fighting alongside the Garibaldi Brigade. He led missions to capture German soldiers and disrupt Nazi supply lines. Even after being wounded, he kept fighting until the end.
Today, he is buried in the cemetery of Radicondoli, a small town in Tuscany — far from the Armenian small town where he grew up.
Wrap-up
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Guests
Pietro Shakarian
Dr. Pietro Shakarian is a historian of Russia and the Soviet Union and a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Historical Research at the National Research University–Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, Russia. He is currently completing his book on the major role of Anastas Mikoyan in Soviet nationality policy reform and de-Stalinization during the era of Nikita Khrushchev’s Thaw. Dr. Shakarian’s analyses on Russian and post-Soviet affairs have appeared in The Nation, The Plain Dealer, and various other publications. He was previously a lecturer in history at the American University of Armenia in Yerevan.
Hosts
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast.
Hovik Manucharyan
Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.