Several hundred protesters gathered in its capital of Armenia to ask the government to support its Armenian residents Nagorno Karabakhsince the separatists of this enclave were forced into a shameful surrender by the Azerbaijan.

The protesters, mostly young people, gathered in the Republic Square in the heart of Yerevan. Many trucks carrying Armenian soldiers were also seen in the center of the city.

Azerbaijan earlier announced it was ending its operations in Nagorno-Karabakh after a ceasefire was agreed with Armenian separatist forces. Under the terms of this agreement the enclave returns to Baku’s control.

Samvel Sargsyan, 21, a student at Yerevan University of Theater and Cinematography, said Armenia should help Karabakh. “Armenia should unite with Artsakh (as Armenians call Nagorno-Karabakh) and fight,” said Sargsyan, who was born in the enclave’s capital, Stepanakert (according to Armenians) or Khankendi (according to its Azeri name). “Armenians cannot accept another country, another religion. Why should we accept it? Why is Armenia giving a part of itself to another state?” he added. “If we lose Artsakh, we lose Armenia. Because the next step will be Armenia,” warned Sargsyan, holding the red, blue and orange flag of Artsakh.

Political opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was defeated in the second Karabakh war with Azerbaijan in 2020 but won his country’s elections again a few months later, called on him today to step down. At the demonstration, some chanted simply “Artsakh”, while others shouted the slogan “Nikol is a traitor”.

Pashinyan has accused Russia of not doing enough to support Armenia. On Tuesday he claimed that some forces have started a coup d’état discussion in Yerevan.