News Watch Artsakh: June 2023

On December 12, 2022, state-backed Azerbaijani “eco-activists’ blocked the Lachin Corridor, the only lifeline the Republic of Artsakh had with Armenia and the rest of the world. Only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Russian peacekeepers were allowed to deliver humanitarian aid and transport critically ill patients from Artsakh to Armenia. Electricity and natural gas supplies to Artsakh were also disrupted as Azerbaijan cut utility lines from Armenia. On April 23, 2023, Azerbaijani forces installed an illegal checkpoint on the Hakari Bridge on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, imposing a total blockade as humanitarian aid was also prevented from being delivered. Transfer of patients by the ICRC resumed after periods of total restrictions on all movement.

As the siege of Artsakh continues, we will be providing live updates on the situation.
For a full chronology of the 200 days of the blockade of Artsakh, follow this link.

June 29

11 p.m.: The mayor of Kichan, Martakert stated that by sporadically firing in the direction of agricultural fields, Azerbaijani Armed Forces are preventing farmers from carrying out agricultural work.

8 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that Azerbaijan fired in the direction of a combine harvester working in the agricultural fields near Chartar, Martuni at around 6:10 p.m.

11 a.m.: At a cabinet meeting, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the Azerbaijani attack that killed four Artsakh Defense Army soldiers on June 27 “had been prepared for a long time by information attacks of Azerbaijan, as if the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army was violating the ceasefire regime in different parts of the contact line. The fictitiousness of Azerbaijani media publications has been consistently demonstrated by the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh, under the conditions of which it becomes obvious that Azerbaijan is pursuing a consistent policy of escalating the situation and depopulating Nagorno-Karabakh.”

He said Azerbaijan’s “provocation of June 27” aimed to “neutralize efforts to establish peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and to address the rights and security issues of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Pashinyan lauded the recent PACE resolution as an “important document in terms of increasing international attention to the humanitarian crisis created in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

9:28 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry refutes Azerbaijani reports that the Artsakh military had allegedly fired at Azerbaijani positions starting from around midnight in the Shushi region.

June 28

11:30 p.m.: Stepanakert-based journalist Marut Vanyan reports that due to Azerbaijani restrictions on the Lachin Corridor, Russian peacekeepers have begun regularly using helicopters to fly to Armenia from the Stepanakert airport.

11:23 p.m.: In a press statement following the trilateral meeting of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov and U.S National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry stated that Mirzoyan stressed that incidents such as today’s Azerbaijani attack that killed four Artsakh soldiers “were aimed at disturbing the efforts in the negotiating process and emphasized the imperative to exclude the use of force or threat of use of force.”

“Minister Mirzoyan highlighted that Azerbaijan carried out this action in parallel with the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, deliberate disruption of gas and electricity supply to Nagorno-Karabakh, aimed at subjecting Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing,” the ministry said.

10:47 p.m.: Matthew Miller, spokesperson of the U.S. State Department tweeted: “We are deeply disturbed by the loss of life in Nagorno Karabakh. These latest incidents underscore the need to refrain from hostilities and for a durable and dignified peace. The United States is committed to assisting the parties in achieving this goal.”

9:42 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that at noon Azerbaijani forces fired in the direction of farmers engaged in agricultural work in the Martuni region.

7:20 p.m.: The human rights organization Amnesty International stated that the Azerbaijani authorities “must lift the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and bring an end to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.

6:04 p.m.: Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Russia is concerned about the increased number of armed incidents and violations of the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. “We call on the parties to exercise restraint and resolve all disputes through peaceful, political and diplomatic means in cooperation with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent,” she added.

Zakharova added that Russia proceeds from the fact that the de-escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh would be facilitated by “the immediate adoption of measures to completely unblock the Lachin Corridor and create conditions for the normal life of the civilian population.”

3:24 p.m.: Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, tweeted in response to Pashinyan: “Mr. Prime Minister again misleads the international community.

Azerbaijani forces have only took retaliatory measures against a military action that wounded a military serviceman of Azerbaijan. The major destabilizing factor in the region is Armenian armed forces. These Armenian forces contrary to international law & Trilateral statement obligations have not  been fully withdrawn from Azerbaijan. These illegal forces, while threatening Azerbaijanis living in surrounding regions and returning to their homes, is major security threat. Armenia, instead of interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs, must fulfill its obligations and respect Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in both words and deeds.”

2 p.m.: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tweeted: “Urging the international community to take practical steps to ensure rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh people. Meanwhile the Lachin Corridor remains illegally blocked, tonight as result of Azerbaijani attack with use of UAVs there are 4 casualties. High risk of destabilization in the SouthCaucasus.”

1 p.m.: Artsakh’s parliament calls on the Armenian delegation in Washington to immediately stop talks with Azerbaijan “until the establishment of a full ceasefire on the line of contact with Artsakh and within the borders of Armenia and the provision of documentary guarantees to maintain it, otherwise, the continuation of the negotiations will mean encouraging the aggressive behavior of the Azerbaijani side and legitimization at the international level.”

It further called on the UN Security Council, the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries (Russia, U.S., France) to “take concrete practical steps, in particular, to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan, curbing its aggressive ambitions” and on Russian peacekeepers to “stop Azerbaijan’s anti-human, genocidal actions with the most severe means.”

6:01 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that four servicemen were killed in an Azerbaijani attack involving artillery fire and drones strikes on Nagorno-Karabakh positions in the Martuni and Martakert regions starting from 1:30 a.m. It added that Azerbaijan has recently launched a continuous disinformation campaign accusing the Artsakh Defense Army of breaching the ceasefire in order to create an “information base” for this aggression.

The ministry later said that the situation at the line of contact with Azerbaijan was “relatively stable” as of 7 a.m. and subsequently released the names of the fallen soldiers: Armo Abgaryan, Samvel Torosyan, Yervand Tadevosyan and Gagik Balayan.

June 27

9:57 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that at around 9 p.m., Azerbaijani forces fired two 60 mm mortar shells in the direction of the village of Kichan in the Martakert region and one mortar shell in the direction of the Chaknatagh village after alleging that an Azerbaijani serviceman had been wounded by fire from Artsakh.

9:30 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that at 7:40 p.m. Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the Martakert region. It also refuted Azerbaijani allegations that an Azerabijani serviceman had been wounded by fire from the Artsakh side.

June 26

6:26 p.m.: Artsakh’s Ministry of the Interior reports that on June 25, at around 4 p.m., Azerbaijani servicemen fired at Mikael Mezhlumyan, a 22-year-old resident of Myurishen village, Martuni region. He was doing agricultural work with a tractor off highway from Murishen to Avdur. He was not injured.

3:51 p.m.: Residents from Yeghtsahogh and Lisagor villages of the Shushi region visited Stepanakert and returned to their villages by minibus accompanied by the Russian peacekeepers.

3:11 p.m.: 17 patients from Artsakh were transported to specialized medical institutions of Armenia, with 11 companions with the mediation and escorting of the Red Cross.

12:40 p.m.: Armenian parliament speaker Alen Simonyan told reporters that Azerbaijan will not be able to carry out ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia will not allow it. 

He also responded to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov’s earlier remarks on the rights and security of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. “The issue of the rights and security of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh is important because this issue cannot simply be forgotten. This is self deception. If Azerbaijan is ready to engage in self-deception, Armenia is not. We will adhere to what we have announced,” he stated.

10:04 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that Azerbaijani troops opened fire in the directions of Martuni, Askeran, Shushi and Martakert regions and again targeted a farmer carrying out agricultural work on his tractor in Avdur, Martuni.

June 25

11:30 a.m.: Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry responded to the Armenian MFA’s statement. It said the “temporary restriction of the operation of the Lachin border checkpoint regarding the investigations and the security measures implemented by Azerbaijan” is not a blockade and accused Armenia of propaganda. 

Azerbaijan’s MFA said “Armenia cannot digest the passage of hundreds of Armenian residents in both directions in the spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation with the border guards of Azerbaijan since the start of the operation of the border checkpoint, and is insisting on continuing such provocative steps.” It rejected any “humanitarian threats” against the Armenian residents living in the “Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.” 

“Azerbaijan is making efforts toward the reintegration of Armenian residents, and it is necessary to put an end to Armenia’s interference in the process under various pretexts, as well as its destructive obstruction,” the ministry stated.

June 24

20:57 p.m.: A total of 60 diplomats and military attachés from 33 countries and 10 organizations accredited to Azerbaijan visited Lachin, including the Lachin border checkpoint. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry stated that the “diplomats got acquainted with the conditions created at the border crossing point and had a chance to personally witness the falsity of the provocative claims of the Armenian side about the closure of the road.” It added that Azerbaijan has created conditions for the activity of the International Committee of the Red Cross for the transportation of citizens in need of medical care. 

8:31 p.m.: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry issues a statement on the need to establish an international mechanism in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The MFA said that Armenia is “convinced that the best way forward for guaranteeing the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh lies in direct and substantive discussions between Baku and Stepanakert with international participation.” However, Azerbaijan’s “sincerity and political will” to achieve peace in the region is “seriously questioned by the incessant hostility and hate speech from the Azerbaijani authorities, by the provocations, threats to use force against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Moreover, Azerbaijan’s actions are not only deviating from addressing numerous problems through constructive dialogue with Stepanakert, but also, on the contrary, they are consistently leading to ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The Armenian MFA said Azerbaijan’s installation of concrete barriers in the Lachin Corridor on June 22 is another evidence of this. “As a result, the supply of food, medicine and basic necessities has been completely halted, as has the transportation of critically ill patients, even by the International Committee of the Red Cross,” it added.

Armenia said Azerbaijan’s actions are being carried out “in defiance of legally binding decisions of the UN International Court of Justice and numerous appeals by the international community” and the international community “cannot turn a blind eye and delude itself that the issues of the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh can be addressed without special and urgent international attention, involvement and efforts.”

8:06 p.m.: In a meeting with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov suggested that supplies could be provided from the Azerbaijani side, “using the Aghdam-Khankendi road.”

1:46 p.m.: Russian peacekeepers transported urgently needed medicine from Armenia to Artsakh by helicopter, both for the people of Artsakh and for their own needs. A one-year-old child with a diagnosis of viral encephalitis, who was in critical condition for two days, was transferred to a specialized medical center in Armenia.

June 23

8 p.m.: Russia’s Defense Ministry reports two ceasefire violations in the Martakert region.

6:42 p.m.: Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova released a statement regarding the situation around the Lachin Corridor.

It said the closure of the entrance to the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan violates the tripartite declaration of November 2020. “These steps contribute to the escalation of tensions and do not contribute to maintaining a normal atmosphere around the ongoing process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia with Russian assistance. We call on Baku to fully unblock the movement along the Lachin corridor,” she stated.

She also expressed hope that Yerevan will “not withdraw from interaction in trilateral formats” as it will have a “negative impact on the situation in the region and lead to escalation on the ground.”

6:22 p.m.: The EU issued a statement on the growing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The near total blockage of the Lachin corridor, in place since June 15, is very worrying. It directly threatens the livelihoods of the local population and raises serious fears of a potential humanitarian crisis,” it said.

The EU also said it has been “closely following growing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the past few weeks, with daily shooting incidents reported along their international border, in addition to similar incidents on the Karabakh Line of Contact.”

5:25 p.m.: Artsakh authorities report that Azerbaijan has installed a concrete barrier on the Hakari bridge to block the Lachin Corridor.

3:04 p.m.: In an interview with Reuters, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said Azerbaijan will provide no guarantees for Artsakh Armenians. “The most fundamental is the following: this is an internal, sovereign issue. The Azerbaijan constitution and a number of international conventions to which Azerbaijan is party provide all the necessary conditions in order to guarantee the rights of this population.” He said ethnic Armenians could still use and be educated in their own language and preserve their culture if they integrated into Azerbaijani society and state structures like other ethnic and religious minorities.

1:53 p.m.: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution expressing its extreme concern by events which have unfolded since the signature of the Trilateral Statement on November 9, 2020, and which culminated on December 12, 2022 with the interruption of the free and safe passage through the Lachin Corridor and the subsequent deliberate cutting of electricity and gas supplies to the region.

It recognized Azerbaijan’s concern to ensure security within its territory and at its borders, but the PACE is “struck by the fact that its leadership does not acknowledge the very serious humanitarian and human rights consequences stemming from the present situation.” It called on Azerbaijan to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The resolution said Azerbaijan has “the responsibility to protect and ensure the security of everyone living within its internationally recognized borders.” 

The PACE resolution noted that “a humanitarian response alone is not sufficient and that a political solution is needed” and called for a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and a neutral international involvement in any peace implementation mechanism to be put in place. It also called on Azerbaijan to invite a Council of Europe delegation to visit the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh for a fact-finding mission, to assess the situation on the ground.

12:05 p.m.: During a visit to a commando military unit, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor is a “manifestation of our strong political will.” He insisted that Armenia’s official recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not enough and “these words must now be put on paper, and Armenia must sign it,” otherwise, there will be no peace.

9:56 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened gunfire at a farmer working in his tractor in the village of Chartar in Martuni. 

9:37 a.m.: Artsakh’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reports that Azerbaijani troops opened sporadic automatic gunfire at a residential house in the village of Chankatagh. Investigators arrived at the scene and documented damage to the roof which resulted from the shooting.

June 22

3 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army reports that at around 1 p.m., a contract serviceman, Mher Hakobyan, was wounded by Azerbaijani gunfire in the Martakert region.

11:01 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry refuted Azerbaijani claims that its forces opened fire on June 21 and 22 at Azerbaijani military positions in Martuni, Shushi and Askeran regions.

June 21

11:43 p.m.: At a hearing at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan body of the United States House of Representatives, on safeguarding the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Congressman Frank Pallone stated that the blockade of the Lachin Corridor is “a man-made crisis purposefully created by the Aliyev regime to severely worsen the quality of life for the people of Artsakh” and that it has “caused severe shortages of food, medical supplies, drinking water, energy, and other essentials – creating a dire humanitarian crisis for the 120,000 people living in Artsakh.”

John Evans, former ambassador of the U.S. to Armenia, called on the Biden administration to “engage the Azerbaijani government in a serious discussion, at the highest levels, of the way ahead, emphasizing that ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the Armenians of Karabakh is not acceptable.” Evans also called to lift the waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, which prohibits the sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan. “It would be well to put the brakes on Turkish and Israeli arms sales to Baku,” he added.

Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, stated that if the State Department “wishes to succeed in bringing peace to Nagorno-Karabakh, it should waive Section 907, enforce the Humanitarian Corridors Act, apply Global Magnitsky Act sanctions, limit exports of dual use goods, protect cultural heritage, monitor incitement, sequencing of diplomacy matters, and identify other models for co-existence.”

8:05 p.m.: Nathalie Loiseau, chair of the Security and Defense Subcommittee of the European Parliament, stated that the delegation led by her “approached the entrance to Lachin Corridor and saw with our own eyes the complete and illegal blockade of Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan.”

She reaffirmed the position of the European Parliament that the blocking of the Lachin Corridor is “illegal and must be stopped” and the “rights and well-being of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh must be protected.” “I will take this message with me to Brussels, I will testify about what we saw and heard while in Armenia,” she added.

She also called on European ambassadors in Baku to refrain from accepting a potential Azerbaijani invitation to visit the illegal checkpoint, “remaining faithful to the terms of the ruling of the International Court of Justice.”

Loiseau also stated that the European Parliament fully supports the idea of sending an international fact-finding mission to the Lachin Corridor.

“The European Parliament also welcomes the idea of an international presence in general to fully protect the rights and interests of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. We are also completely in favor of a UN Security Council resolution being adopted. And the sooner, the better it will be if the members of the UN Security Council prepare a draft of such a resolution,” she stated.

6:31 p.m.: At a press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry’s representative Maria Zakharova called on Azerbaijan to take steps to “completely unblock the [Lachin] corridor for humanitarian purposes and not to make the Karabakh population a hostage of political disagreements with Yerevan.”

5:32 p.m.: A group of 54 U.S. Representatives, led by Rep. Barbara Lee, sent a Congressional letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding the Biden Administration “end military aid to Azerbaijan and support Artsakh in the face of Azerbaijan’s brutal blockade and anti-Armenian aggression.”

4:53 p.m.: Artsakh’s Foreign Ministry released a statement on the continued blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.

It said that the “complete and arbitrary blocking of the Lachin Corridor, in particular the  deliberate obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian cargo by the Russian peacekeeping forces and the ICRC for the basic needs of the people of Artsakh under siege, is considered a war crime under international law.” The MFA said the Artsakh’s blockade and isolation from the outside world “exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and prepare fertile ground for the escalation of Azerbaijan’s ongoing crimes against humanity into the crime of genocide.”

It “strongly demand that all responsible members of the international community take the necessary collective and individual measures to stop the ongoing international crimes committed by Azerbaijan, and to prevent a catastrophe threatening the people of Artsakh with genocide.”

10:57 a.m.: European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE) delegation led by Chair Nathalie Loiseau have joined the EU Mission in Armenia for a planned patrol to the Lachin Corridor. The EU Mission tweeted that Head of EU Mission in Armenia Markus Ritter and EU ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin welcomed Loiseau and the SEDE delegation at the Sisian airfield.

10:19 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry refuted Azerbaijani claims that its forces opened fire in the Shushi region around 8:10 p.m. on June 20.

June 20

12:43 p.m.: Artsakh’s State Minister’s adviser Artak Beglaryan posted an image of an Azerbaijani armored personnel carrier blocking the entrance to the Lachin Corridor on the Hakari Bridge.

“Is this their guarantee for ‘free movement’ with which they lie to the whole world, falsely claiming that there is no blockade?” Beglaryan stated. He called on the international community, including Armenia, Russia, the U.S., France, the EU, UN and all other actors, to prevent a security disaster and humanitarian disaster in Nagorno-Karabakh.

9:50 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reported a ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan in the Martuni, Shushi, and Martakert regions using small arms between 11:05 p.m. on June 19 until 7:55 a.m. on June 20.

June 19

8:30 p.m.: Azatutyun (RFE/RL) reports that shops in Artsakh are running out of imported foodstuffs such as flour, cooking oil and sugar. 

3:40 p.m.: Artsakh’s Ministry of Health reports that all non-essential surgeries and checkups have been put on hold in all hospitals of Nagorno Karabakh. 

“The two-way movement of patients from Nagorno Karabakh and supplies of medical items and medicine by the International Committee of the Red Cross is completely blocked by Azerbaijan for five days. Due to the halt of medicine imports, the medicine supplies in the stationary sector have dropped to 40%, and 20% in the outpatient sector. Taking into account the situation, all non-urgent checkups and interventions (surgeries) in all medical facilities are canceled starting today. Approximately 175 patients with various diagnoses are waiting for the opportunity to be transported to hospitals in the Republic of Armenia for treatment. Patients requiring urgent transportation have cancer and cardiovascular diseases,” the statement read. 

10:24 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reported that Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire between 9:30 a.m. on June 18 to 1:08 a.m. on June 19 in two directions: Martuni and Martakert, using small arms.

June 17

8:30 p.m.: Tigran Balayan, Armenia’s ambassador to the Netherlands, tweeted that “according to different sources, also the intelligence, the Aliyev regime is in preparation of new aggression against Armenia and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh to prevent peace talks under the auspices of Secretary Antony Blinken and Charles Michel.”

12:57 a.m.: France’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding the incidents on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, condemning the attack on a metallurgical plant in Yeraskh. The statement noted that “France also reaffirms its support for the full implementation of the International Court of Justice’s order of February 22, 2023, regarding the restoration of traffic in the [Lachin] corridor.” 

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry responded saying that “Azerbaijan has ensured free and safe movement of hundreds of Armenian residents in both directions at the Lachin Border Checkpoint, established in accordance with international norms and rules. Despite these efforts, on June 15, our border guard was injured as a result of the firing of the border checkpoint by Armenia. Currently, security and investigative measures are being implemented at the border crossing.”

June 16

10:42 p.m.: Armenia’s human rights ombudsperson’s office released an ad hoc report on the humanitarian consequences of the blocking of the Lachin Corridor.

8:03 p.m.: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Sergey Kopirkin, Russian Ambassador to Armenia, to present Armenia’s “strong displeasure” with regard to the incident involving Russian peacekeepers near the Hakari bridge on June 15. In a video posted online, Russian peacekeepers accompanied Azerbaijani troops on the bridge at the entrance of the Lachin Corridor in an attempt to raise the Azerbaijani flag on Armenian territory.

6:14 p.m.: In a live stream on Facebook, Artsakh’s Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan stated that Artsakh will enact restrictions on fuel supply to individuals, but public transport will continue to operate.

11 a.m.: At a cabinet meeting, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made the following remarks:

“Azerbaijan’s installation of an illegal checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor, the blockade of electricity and natural gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, which has essentially been ongoing for six months, have extremely aggravated the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. And if during the previous month, for propaganda purposes, Azerbaijan provided some access through the Lachin Corridor through the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, since yesterday this access has also been brought to zero and even the supply of essential food to Nagorno Karabakh has been stopped. In other words, food does not enter Nagorno Karabakh from the outside world, and citizens in need of urgent medical assistance are not allowed to pass through the Lachin Corridor.

“These actions once again substantiate our fear that Azerbaijan is conducting a policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Although in this case it is not about fear, but about the start of actions. How else does the ethnic cleansing take place: the supply of food, gas, and electricity to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh is blocked, citizens doing agricultural work are being shooted at, the possibility of movement is blocked even for patients in extremely critical condition.”

Pashinyan added that the government’s response to the situation should include raising international awareness and encouraging Baku-Stepanakert dialogue.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry responded by saying that it “strongly reject[s] the absurd claims” that the Lachin checkpoint has caused a tense humanitarian situation, prevention of the provision of daily necessities and medical products to Armenian residents by Azerbaijan, pursuance of ethnic cleansing policy by Azerbaijan.” It stated that there are “necessary conditions for transparent, safe, and orderly passage of local Armenian residents of the Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan in both directions, and hundreds of residents have been using this road freely since the establishment of the checkpoint.”

June 15

10 p.m.: Ani Badalyan, the spokesperson of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that after its provocation on the Hakari Bridge, Azerbaijan has banned all humanitarian passage and cargo transportation through the LachinCorridor, including for Russian peacekeepers the ICRC.

1:15 p.m.: The Artsakh Info Center reports that following Azerbaijani attempts at advancing their positions near the Hakari bridge this morning, Baku has now banned all humanitarian passenger and cargo transportation through the Lachin corridor.

As a result, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was unable to proceed with the transport of 25 patients and their relatives from Artsakh to Armenia. They were forced to return to Stepanakert after being halted at an illegal Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin corridor.

Additionally, the planned passenger transport for dozens of individuals due to urgent humanitarian needs, which was meant to be facilitated by Russian peacekeepers on the Stepanakert-Goris-Stepanakert route, was canceled. The movement of Russian peacekeepers’ trucks heading to Goris for humanitarian cargo transportation was also halted.

12:55 p.m.: In a press statement with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that “Armenia just needs to demonstrate a political will and to put on paper what they have already officially announced that Karabakh is Azerbaijan.”

12:07 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry denies Azerbaijani claims that it has supposedly opened fire at Azerbaijani positions in the Martuni area. “The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan, trying to substantiate the fire by its units targeting civilians carrying out agricultural work, is once again distorting reality, once again claiming to have disrupted alleged engineering works in the Martuni region. As reported earlier, the Azerbaijani side opened small arms fire around 9:15 a.m. – 11:14 a.m., June 14, at civilians conducting agricultural work in the Matchkalashen and Tchartar communities of Martuni region,” the ministry stated.

10 a.m.: Armenia’s National Security Service reports that at around 8:40 a.m. a group of Azerbaijani border guards made an attempt to advance in the direction of the Hakari bridge, at the entrance of the Lachin Corridor, in order to plant a flag on the territory of Armenia. “As a result of the measures taken by the Armenian side, the advance of Azerbaijani servicemen and the attempt to plant a flag on the territory of the Republic of Armenia were prevented. As of 10 a.m., the situation is relatively stable.”

9:44 a.m.: Ria Novosti, a Russian state-run news agency, cited a “diplomatic source in Washington” as saying that the United States is pressuring Nagorno-Karabakh to hold a meeting with Azerbaijan, threatening a counter-terrorism operation in case of refusal.

“In an ultimatum-like manner, Washington is forcing representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh to agree in the near future to a meeting with the Azerbaijani side in a ‘third country’ with the participation of an American supervisor. The goal is to establish a U.S. presence in the region. Moreover, if the leadership of Karabakh refuses such contact, they are threatened with the conduct of an Azerbaijani counter-terrorism operation in the region,” Ria quoted the source as saying. 

The Russian MFA responded: “Russia is concerned about reports that the United States is attempting to impose its mediation services in the dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert (including through threats). This raises questions about the adequacy of the American mediators.”

9:48 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army reports that on June 14, Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the northern, eastern and southwestern directions of the contact line by using small arms. From 9:15 a.m. to 11:14 a.m., the Azerbaijani side opened fire from small arms on civilians doing agricultural work in villages Machkalashen and Chartar.

June 14

1:30 p.m.: In a Q&A session with parliamentarians, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna stated that the blockade of the Lachin Corridor is illegal and that France “stand[s] with Armenia and Armenians.” Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada responded: “Seems that the statement of Minister Colonna on the so-called ‘blockade’ intentionally overlooks the free movement of Armenian residents of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in both directions. It is a clear contradiction with vocal assertions on impartiality!”

June 13

6:44 p.m.: Artsakh’s Human Rights Ombudsman reports that since the installation of the Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor on April 23, 2023, Azerbaijan has denied the entry of at least three residents of Artsakh with Armenian registration, including two women and a child, “violating their fundamental rights to freedom of movement and family reunion.” The ombudsman described it as a “gross violation of the stipulations of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, specifically Point 6, providing that Azerbaijan has international obligations of ensuring the safe passage of citizens through the Lachin Corridor.”

1:15 p.m.: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry issued the following statement on ceasefire violations in Nagorno-Karabakh:

“For a long time, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has been spreading daily fake news about ceasefire violations by the Defense Army of Nagorno-Karabakh in the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“It is noteworthy that in the information materials published by the Russian peacekeepers, ceasefire violations only by Azerbaijan were recorded.

“Taking into account the already well established experience of Azerbaijan to provide ‘informational support’ before carrying out the next acts of use of force and to artificially ascribe responsibility for future actions to the other party from the outset, the Republic of Armenia has serious concerns that the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, despite all its own obligations, is preparing the ground for another aggressive actions and ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We call on the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation to strictly follow the observance of the ceasefire regime and investigate all the incidents voiced by Azerbaijan, publicly presenting the entire situation on the ground. 

“At the same time, the Republic of Armenia reiterates its position on the necessity to send an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, which also can provide reliable and unbiased information both about the situation in the line of contact between the sides and about the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, the latter resulting from Azerbaijan’s disruption of the functioning of the Lachin corridor through setting up an illegal checkpoint in violation of the regime established under November 9, 2020 Statement, blocking natural gas and electricity supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh as well as targeting by the Azerbaijani servicemen of citizens carrying out agricultural works and their machinery.

“The Republic of Armenia is convinced that addressing the issues of rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of an international mechanism through the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue is urgent and should not be delayed, and calls on the international community to support this process.”

June 12 [6 months of Blaockade]

4 p.m.: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry released a statement on the six months of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. “Continued severe restrictions of fundamental rights and freedoms of 120,000 people in Nagorno-Karabakh, including detrimental effects on 30,000 children. All despite the legally binding ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and numerous calls of international institutions. Along with cuts of energy supply to Nagorno-Karabakh, blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan has been inflicting a precarious humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. International actors, interested in peace and stability in the region, should act with the aim of protecting the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

10:10 a.m.: On the six month anniversary of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan made the following statement:

“Half a year of severe humanitarian challenges. 120,000 people deprived from basic needs and completely isolated from the rest of the world. Gas and electricity supply are cut off for months. The world is just observing the situation. The fundamental rights and security situation of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh is of urgent importance. The illegal and deliberate steps of Azerbaijani authorities along with Armenophobic rhetoric clearly indicate Azerbaijan’s ultimate goal and intention of ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenian population of NK.”

June 9

10:25 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army reports that between 5:35 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on June 8, the Azerbaijani military opened fire with small arms in the eastern and northern directions of the line of contact. At around 6:20 p.m. the Azerbaijani military fired at a farmer operating a tractor while carrying out agricultural work in Karvin. The farmer was unharmed. 

June 8

21:08 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army refuted Azerbaijani claims that it allegedly opened fire on the border between 11:25 a.m. and 6:40 p.m. on June 8 in the direction of Azerbaijani positions located in the occupied territories of Martuni, Askeran and Shushi regions. 

10:41 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Ministry reports that Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire at around 2:30 a.m. in the northern direction and noted that Azerbaijani authorities have falsely accused Nagorno-Karabakh of opening fire in the Shushi region.

June 7

6:45 p.m.: In a visit to Armenia, Michael Roth, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the German Bundestag, urged Azerbaijan to “respect the decision of the international court and immediately open the Lachin Corridor” and stated that “ethnic cleansing should never be allowed to take place in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

4:41 a.m.: In a meeting with Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed Canada’s “support for enduring peace in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

June 6

5:23 p.m.: Artsakh’s human rights ombudsman reports that Azerbaijan “intentionally creates the appearance that the passage of Artsakh people through the illegally installed checkpoint over Hakari bridge is free and safe.” In reality, people of Artsakh are transferred by the ICRC or the Russian peacekeeping forces “only in urgent cases.”

2:06 p.m.: In an address at the OSCE Permanent Council, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated that Armenia’s recognition of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the “Karabakh region, provides a ground for cautious optimism.” He accused Armenia of having “continued illegal military presence” in Azerbaijani territory, and in “consistent interference with our internal affairs, obstruction of the dialogue between the central Azerbaijani authorities and local residents of the Karabakh region of Armenian origin.” Bayramov said that Azerbaijan is “determined to reintegrate ethnic Armenian residents of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan into the political, legal, economic, and social framework of Azerbaijan as equal citizens” and that its constitution, legislation and the European Convention of Human Rights and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities “provide the solid ground to this end.”

In response to Bayramov’s address, Michael Carpenter, the U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE stated that the U.S. calls on Azerbaijan to “take steps to ensure constant gas and electricity supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as to ensure the free flow and movement of goods and people, including through the Lachin Corridor” and urged Azerbaijan to “adhere to the letter and spirit of the February 22 order by the International Court of Justice.”

The EU also made a statement in response to Bayramov, calling upon Azerbaijan to “develop a positive agenda that safeguards the rights and security of the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh.” The EU said that the current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is “concerning, and has been causing a negative humanitarian impact, as the ethnic Armenian population has been repeatedly facing disruptions in essential energy and communication services, while the reported frequent ceasefire violations raise serious concern about their well-being.” It called on Baku to “take concrete steps to lift constraints on the ethnic Armenian population by ensuring stable energy supplies and allowing maintenance to take place on the electricity grid.”

10:44 a.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army refutes Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s claims that it is conducting fortified construction in Askeran, Martuni and Karvachar regions that were allegedly disrupted by them. “Azerbaijani MoD once again distorts the reality, trying to justify the regular violations of ceasefire,” the statement reads.

June 5

2:16 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army reports a ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan in the eastern and southwestern directions of the contact line by using small arms from 10:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. No losses reported.

June 4

2:14 p.m.: Artsakh’s Defense Army reports a ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan in the central and north-eastern direction of the contact line by using small arms. No losses reported.

June 1

10:30 p.m.: A statement released by the French presidency after a five-side meeting between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Germany, and the EU in Chisinau, Moldova said the European leaders stressed the “importance of defining rights and guarantees for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry responded that the French statement was made “unilaterally” and “does not reflect and distorts the position of the parties.”