Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian early on June 8 declared victory for his Civil Contract party over several pro-Russia groupings after surpassing 50 percent in the initial vote counting.

The election result, once confirmed, would cement Pashinyan's Westward push away from Russian influence. It is the first vote since a 2023 crushing military defeat by Azerbaijan.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling party has won parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results on Monday, setting the stage for a renewed mandate to…