Anti-government protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have been ongoing in Armenia since the country's defeat in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.

On 23 February 2021, Pashinyan gave an interview where, in response to claims made by former president Serzh Sargsyan, he cast doubt on the effectiveness of Armenia's Russian-supplied 9K720 Iskander missiles, implying that they were ineffective when used during the war against Azerbaijan.

[26] During his speech to his supporters, Pashinyan again suggested snap elections as the solution to the political crisis but stated that he would only resign at the demand of the Armenian people.

[26] Protesters led by the Homeland Salvation Movement barricaded streets around parliament overnight and set up tents to add pressure on the government to step aside.

[27] Two days later Armenian President Armen Sarksyan refused the order from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to dismiss Onik Gasparyan, saying parts of the decree were in violation of the constitution.