GASPARYAN Armen Sumbatovich

He is one of the kremlin's key propagandists, a publicist and radio host who actively justifies putin's policies, the occupation of Crimea and russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. His activities are aimed at spreading pseudo-historical narratives, manipulating facts and legitimizing the kremlin's actions.
He is the author of more than 20 non-fiction books, including "Denazification of Ukraine. A Country of Unlearned Lessons". In this book, he justifies the need for the complete destruction of Ukraine as a state and the "denazification" of its population by military and repressive methods. Gasparyan was one of the first propagandists to use the term "denazification" in relation to Ukraine, even before the full-scale invasion in 2022.
In his public speeches, he regularly uses anti-Ukrainian rhetoric. In his books and speeches, Gasparyan has repeatedly referred to Ukraine as an "artificial state" created by allegedly "Western masters". In one of his interviews, he stated: "Ukraine is a project that must be completed. There is only russia, which restores historical justice". These theses are actively used by the kremlin to justify its aggression against Ukraine.
He is an active media player, often appearing in russian media, where he justifies the so-called "special military operation". In February 2022, on the eve of the full-scale invasion, he appealed to the citizens of Ukraine: "Brothers, please stay home and don't do anything stupid". This rhetoric creates the perception of the "friendliness" of the russian army and discredits the Ukrainian government.
In addition, he called for more active strikes on the territory of Ukraine, criticizing the kremlin's allegedly weak response.
In May 2022, he stated: "How long can the shelling of russian territories be tolerated?" His rhetoric justifies the escalation of violence, reinforcing the narrative of "protecting russian citizens."
He openly justifies the massive shelling of Ukrainian cities, calling it "necessary measures to achieve military goals." In his speeches, he emphasizes that the goal of the war is the complete destruction of Ukrainian statehood, which is an example of open calls for genocide.
His books and public speeches are actively used in russian propaganda. In particular, his works are included in the curriculum in russian schools, where the kremlin's propaganda theses are imposed on students as "historical truth."
In July 2023, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv sentenced Gasparyan to 10 years in prison in absentia for publicly calling for the genocide of the Ukrainian people and inciting ethnic hatred.