Kremlin tells Russian media to portray Pashinyan’s election win with under 50% as a ‘loss’

Russia’s Presidential administration “recommended” that state and pro-Kremlin media emphasize in their coverage that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party received less than 50% of the vote. Meduza learned this from an employee at one of the major Kremlin-friendly outlets.

Staff were told to frame the result as Pashinyan’s “loss” — and were specifically instructed to use that word. The Putin Administration’s domestic policy team also “recommended” highlighting violations committed during the election to “sow doubts about the legitimacy” of Pashinyan.

According to Armenia’s Central Election Commission, Civil Contract received 49.81% of the vote. Pashinyan’s party won 61 of the 105 seats in parliament.

How Russian television covered the election

• Channel One: “According to official figures, Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party is receiving just under 50% but has secured the right to form a government on its own.”
• Russia 1: “Armenia’s Central Election Commission has finished counting votes. The ruling Civil Contract party received less than 50%, while the opposition, despite unprecedented pressure, collectively received nearly 40% — that’s 460,000 votes against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s policies.”
• NTV: “According to preliminary figures, Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party is receiving more than 49% of the vote.”

How state agencies and other pro-Kremlin outlets covered the election

RIA Novosti

The agency’s piece on the election results ran under the headline “Pashinyan’s party fails to reach 50% in Armenia’s election.” Its top story then became “Armenian authorities grossly violated election procedures, Zakharova says.”

RIA Novosti also reported that “many voters in Yerevan are disappointed with the election results” and that the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly “described a difficult atmosphere at the polls.” As ballots were being counted, the agency reported that “Pashinyan’s party’s lead in the election has narrowed” and then “continued to fall.” It also published a column titled “Nikol Pashinyan’s Pyrrhic victory,” written by agency commentator Irina Alksnis.

TASS

The agency’s piece on the election results ran under the headline “Armenia’s CEC: Pashinyan’s party has preliminarily received 49.81% of the vote.” It also published the following items:

• “Peskov: Russia is seeing reports of widespread violations in Armenia’s election.”
• “Zakharova: Armenia’s election took place amid pressure on the opposition.”
• “Zakharova: those with ties to Russia faced persecution during Armenia’s campaign.”
• “Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia party will appeal to the CEC for a recount.”
• “Expert Hovhannisyan: Pashinyan’s party did not win a constitutional majority.”
• “CIS Inter[arliamentary Assembly notes large number of arrests during Armenia’s election.”

At the same time, TASS published a roundup under the headline “Pashinyan’s party wins the right to form a cabinet on its own. Armenia election results.”

Interfax

Interfax summarized the results in a piece headlined “Pashinyan’s party received 49.81% in Armenia’s election after 100% of ballots counted” and reported that “the Kremlin is taking note of reports of violations during Armenia’s election.”

Vedomosti

• “Armenia election results: Pashinyan’s party received less than 50% of the vote.”
• “Kremlin taking note of reports of violations in Armenia’s election.”

RBC

The outlet published a piece whose headline named no winner at all: “Armenia parliamentary election results. The key points.” As of 3:00 p.m. Moscow time, RBC’s top story carried the headline “Moscow says democratic procedures were violated in Armenia’s election.”