Daniel Ofman

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous enclave located in the South Caucasus. For decades, the territory has been the source of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, however, ethnic Armenians have been living in this territory for hundreds of years.

The Bambir is a rock band from Gyumri, the Armenian “city of artists.” The band was founded during the Soviet Union in the late ’70s, and it’s now in its second generation. Some of the current band members are the children of those who started the band. They remain one of the most popular bands in Armenia. The Bambir’s sound is a mix of traditional Armenian folk music, rock and other genres. 

Despite their fraught relationship, Armenia and Azerbaijan are engaged in peace talks. In Armenia, though, many people are not happy with how things are going. In the capital Yerevan, a clergyman has become the face of the Armenian opposition.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens have left the country. According to some estimates, more than 100,000 Russian citizens fled to Armenia alone. This reality has led to some changes within Yerevan, the Armenian capital, where some exiled Russians started a school.

Andriy Danylko’s onstage persona is Verka Serduchka — a middle-aged woman who works as a railroad sleeping car attendant — who became one of the biggest celebrities in Ukraine in the early ’90s. Today, Danylko uses her to represent Ukraine on the world stage.