The Zvartnots Airport clash occurred on 5 July 1988 between Armenian protesters and the Soviet troops at the

Zvartnots International Airport Zvartnots International Airport ( hy, Զվարթնոց միջազգային օդանավակայան, translit=Zvart'nots' mijazgayin ōdanavakayan) is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. It acts as the main ...

at the outskirts of

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...

. After the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's conference in late June disapproved the Armenian demands to Nagorno-Karabakh, a new wave of demonstrations erupted in Yerevan. The Soviet government sent troops to Yerevan to "restore order." Thousands of Armenian protesters gathered at the Zvartnots Airport to block the entrance of the Soviet troops. A clash occurred between the troops and the demonstrators. The security forces opened fire killing one person and injuring dozens. The event spread some

anti-Soviet Anti-Sovietism, anti-Soviet sentiment, called by Soviet authorities ''antisovetchina'' (russian: антисоветчина), refers to persons and activities actually or allegedly aimed against the Soviet Union or government power within the ...

sentiment in Armenia.

References

{{Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict First Nagorno-Karabakh War 1988 in Armenia 1988 in the Soviet Union Riots and civil disorder in the Soviet Union Protests in the Soviet Union Protests in Armenia July 1988 events in Asia Riots and civil disorder in Armenia