Lavrov claimed that Gyumri’s mayor was facing criminal charges over remarks advocating for a union state between Armenia and Russia.
A long-time fixture in Gyumri’s political scene — Ghukasyan has emerged as a new government target ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.
Armenian authorities have previously promised a crackdown on Ghukasyan.
The song was played in Gyumri’s main square on Sunday evening.
Vardan Ghukasyan stated he was ready to ‘shoot’ any priest who would marry representatives of the queer community in the Armenian Church.
Vardan Ghukasyan represents the Communist Party.
The incident took place prior to the Gyumri elections, scheduled to be held on 30 March.
