By Siranush Adamyan
A zebra-like donkey briefly succeeded where Armenia’s political class has been trying hard to dominate the news cycle — it captured attention.
In Yerevan, on Myasnikyan Avenue near the zoo, a striped donkey was spotted tied near the sidewalk early Saturday morning, prompting confusion and curiosity.
Emergency services received a report that a zebra had escaped from the zoo.
Before drivers and passersby could fully process the situation — and take photos of the “unusual donkey” — the animal had already become the main character of the Armenian news cycle, displacing politicians who have been investing significant time and money to secure airtime and visibility ahead of the June 7 parliamentary election.
Social media quickly amplified the scene. Photos and short videos spread across platforms, with users debating whether the animal was a zebra, a painted donkey, or something in between. The answer mattered less than the moment itself.
For a few hours, the country’s highly charged political discourse gave way to something simpler: a striped animal tied by the roadside.
By midday, the political agenda had largely reclaimed its place. But for a short time, in the middle of Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary election campaign, it was not campaign promises or geopolitical tensions driving engagement — it was a donkey that looked like a zebra.
Later, the animal’s owner was identified, and the donkey was returned to its farm. The man’s motive for painting the donkey has not been established.
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