A military parade dedicated to Armenia’s First Republic Day is taking place in Yerevan for the first time in the past decade.
The previous military parade in the capital was held on September 21, 2016, and was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of independence.
The parade features weapons and military equipment acquired from Russia, India, France, Iran, China and other countries, Sputnik Armenia writes.
Most of the weaponry is being displayed for the first time. It includes TOS-1 heavy flamethrower systems and Russian-made Pole-21 electronic warfare systems. For the first time, the public will see Indian weapons: Pinaka MLRS, ATAGS towed howitzers, MArG self-propelled artillery systems, Akash surface-to-air missile systems and anti-tank systems.
The military is also displaying French Caesar self-propelled howitzers and Bastion armored vehicles, Iran’s AD-08 Majid air defense missile systems, and Chinese CH-4 strategic unmanned aerial vehicles. These are strike reconnaissance UAVs.
On May 28, 1918, the Armenian National Council declared the establishment of the independent Republic of Armenia. Long-awaited statehood was achieved as a result of the heroic battles of Bash-Aparan, Sardarapat and Gharakilisa. The First Republic did not last long, only two years, but it laid the foundation for future independence. Armenia restored its independence only in 1991, through a referendum held on September 21.
