Tag: Armenians

Ethiopian-Armenians are emblematic as a diaspora community that balanced their civic and cultural identities to build a prosperous and trusted community.

Ներկա իրավիճակում Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հակամարտության հնարավոր լուծում առաջարկող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հակամարտության հետ համեմատելի՝ Նախիջևանի, Հարավային Օսեթիայի, Հյուսիսային Կիպրոսի, Բոսնիա և Հերցեգովինայի, Արևելյան Թիմորի և Կոսովոյի հակամարտությունների զարգացումը ներկայացնող Սոսի Թաթիկյանի հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

In the early 1920s, 148 orphans of the Armenian Genocide were brought to Canada to begin a new life. They were known as the Georgetown boys and girls and their legacy forms the basis of the Canadian-Armenian story.

In this next installment of a series on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sossi Tatikyan presents a way forward given the current situation to ensure security guarantees for the Artsakh Armenians and mark progress in the conflict’s resolution.

Instead of making Yerevan step back every time there is a deadlock in the negotiation process, the mediators should instead develop the tools to pressure Baku. If they do not, another war in the South Caucasus is likely.

The global response to secessionist inter-ethnic conflicts is shaped by a number of factors, from the extent of the threat of ethnic cleansing, to possession and instrumentalization of energy sources and more. Sossi Tatikyan explains.

The resilience to persevere through unspeakable trauma was embodied by the tenacity to celebrate the May 8 and 9 holidays in Artsakh with a full schedule of events.

Are we headed toward a better, or a more worrying future? Is the pendulum swinging toward more uncertainty or toward a lull? Two fundamental questions stand out: the survival of Artsakh and the independence of Armenia.

There’s an air of restlessness in Artsakh. It derives from the uncertainty about where the Republic of Armenia stands. The feeling is that Artsakh and Armenia are on diverging paths, and a rift has appeared between their governments.

In order to understand what may happen to Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh if appropriate international guarantees for security and human rights are not put in place for them, Sossi Tatikyan presents the evolution of several comparable conflicts.

As Ukraine’s western city comes under Russian missile attack, the Armenian community is wrapping its treasures, but preparing to stay.

By meeting Azerbaijan’s demand for a €2 billion financial package to participate in “restoration and reconstruction”, the European Union is casting into doubt its sincerity in supporting democratic values in the South Caucasus.

2021 was a difficult year for the Armenian nation as it continued to confront external threats, Azerbaijani incursions into its sovereign territory and an unclear future for both Armenia and Artsakh. Here we present a brief overview of the main events from the past year.

Are Armenians doomed to endure the contemptuous kleptocracy of the “old” and the cynical defeatism of the “new”? Gaidz Minassian proposes an alternate vision, one that was conceived of by Aram Manoukian over a century ago.

Philip Marsden’s “The Crossing Place: A Journey Among the Armenians” is atmospheric, gripping and revelatory. It delves into the seemingly exclusive club of a nation at the meeting point of cultures, writes Naneh Hovhannisyan.

While the majority of women didn’t pick up guns to fight in the war, many used their skills to fight in their own way. On this first anniversary of the 2020 Artsakh War, Kushane Chobanyan presents the stories of six extraordinary women who were on the front lines.

Հայրենադարձության մասին որոշեցինք խոսել գրասենյակից դուրս, քաղաքում մի լավ տեղ՝ Բուն ակումբում: Խոսեցինք օվիր այցերից, պատերազմից, խաղաղությունից, հայ մնալուց, հարկայինից, աջից, ձախից՝ մի քիչ արեւմտահայերեն մի քիչ էլ արեւելահայերեն:

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the tourism industry hard globally and Armenia was not spared. Another obstacle hindering development prospects for tourism in Armenia is regional and border stability which will also play an important role when travel resumes in full force.

Developments after the 2020 Artsakh War reveal that Azerbaijan has no intention to work toward regional peace and stability. Together with Turkey, Baku aims to change the regional structure at the expense of Armenia’s security interests and needs.

July 5 marks Constitution Day in Armenia. Constitutional reform is still on the mind of the re-elected Prime Minister, whose approach to forming a constitutional package has so far greatly resembled that of his predecessors. But there are more participatory models that could be adopted.

Suren says if he had a magic wand, he would change people to make things better. Children of the 2020 Artsakh War continue to struggle with trauma. A center in Kapan is trying to change that.

For decades, the Azerbaijani government has engaged in the destruction of Armenian monuments in its quest to erase all evidence of our culture. But the campaign of cultural erasure stretches beyond the physical, to the digital realm as well.

More than two weeks after Azerbaijani Armed Forces crossed into Armenian territory, six Armenian soldiers were surrounded and captured, escalating the already tense situation in Armenia’s border regions.

Armenian cultural, religious and historical monuments and sites currently under Azerbaijani control in the aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh War are under immediate threat of vandalism and destruction.

Following the First Karabakh War, landmines and explosive remnants of war became a major hazard for civilians. Today, four regions of Armenia are still contaminated with unexploded ordnance, impacting over 35,000 residents.

The Treaty of Moscow reaffirmed, almost identically, the borders laid out in the Treaty of Alexandropol. Armenia, thus, conceded 20,000 square kilometers to Turkey. Mikayel Yalanuzyan reveals the details of those turbulent times.

There have been numerous public accusations related to espionage and high treason since the start of the 2020 Artsakh War. Despite all the noise, only one case of high treason and one case of espionage were filed during and after the war.

Three years ago today, Serzh Sargsyan resigned as Prime Minister. When it comes to unjustified constitutional amendments and rigged referendums, Armenian history should never repeat itself.

COVID-19 vaccines are being administered globally in the hopes of curbing the spread of the virus. Gohar Abrahamyan looks at the international race to develop the vaccine, the different vaccines currently being administered and Armenia’s position.

Lucrative economic ties with Azerbaijan have influenced the United Kingdom, Italy and Hungary, among others, in their stance during and after the 2020 Artsakh War.

Azerbaijan and Turkey are highly incentivized to make the Meghri corridor a reality as soon as possible. For Azerbaijan it’s to have a direct link with its exclave of Nakhijevan. For Turkey, it opens up a direct connection with Azerbaijan and the Turkic world beyond.

Political efficacy has been replaced with a wave of voter alienation among a large percentage of Armenia’s electorate. With snap parliamentary elections set for June 20, these issues will be front and center.

Proposed changes to Armenia’s Electoral Code began in the summer of 2018. Almost three years later, the electoral reform bill has been sent to the Venice Commission for an expert opinion. Will the bill make its way into law before potential early elections, if at all?

Along with a number of local fact-finding initiatives to collect evidence in relation to the loss of property following the 2020 Artsakh War, Armenia’s government has also filed an inter-state complaint with the ECHR, which includes issues related to property rights.

Several popular myths that had become deeply entrenched in Armenian society began collapsing after the war. Today, new myths are being constructed. Will Armenians risk fooling themselves into disingenuous politics and disastrous policy based on a set of new myths?

The military phase of the 2020 Artsakh War seems to have ended but the legal fight for restoring and upholding human rights is just beginning. Armenia’s Inter-State Application against Azerbaijan to the ECHR marks the beginning of that strategic process.

The Homeland Defender’s Rehabilitation Center in Yerevan, known as Zinvori Tun (Soldier’s Home) has become a place of hope, healing and rehabilitation on the road to recovery for soldiers seriously wounded during the 2020 Artsakh War.

Armenia’s air defense systems were largely ineffective against the onslaught of combat and reconnaissance UAVs used by the Azerbaijani military. The single most important UAV used in the 2020 Artsakh War was the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2.

The EU’s weak stance and incapacity to act during a time of great need for the Armenian people still reverberates. Today, Armenians are asking themselves if they can afford to trust the EU again.

Azerbaijan’s premeditated war against Karabakh was a blow to the prevailing world order, particularly the principle that international disputes be resolved through peaceful means. The world powers must condemn Azerbaijan’s violation and mitigate the damage it has caused.

In December 2020, the EU passed the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, equipping its foreign policy arsenal with a powerful new tool to protect human rights. Armenians should be paying close attention to how it will be used.

Will the formation of a Truth Commission on the 2020 Artsakh War make it possible to rectify persistent and systemic errors that led to such military and geopolitical failures?

EVN Report looks back at a year that forced the Armenian people to battle multiple fronts, from the COVID-19 pandemic to a 44-day war launched by Azerbaijan that resulted in devastating human and territorial losses.

Armenia can either unify around a shared vision for the future or digress into internal political strife. Artin DerSimonian explores what a unified Armenian vision for the future could include if the country is to continue on the path of healthy socio-economic development.

A concerted effort is needed to overcome the crisis the Armenian nation is facing. To do that, we need to understand where we are now, be honest, admit mistakes, learn lessons and move forward, writes Hovsep Kanadyan.

Volunteers and mayors have been left to fend for themselves as Azerbaijani troops walk up to and past the edges of their border communities in an area that was never demarcated as an international border.

International human rights defending organizations have been speaking in a language of “neutrality” which, in the context of the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during and after the 2020 Artsakh War, is anything but objective, writes Karena Avedissian.

Armenia’s President expressed his desire to re-introduce direct presidential elections to Armenia. Doing so could place a stumbling block in the way of Armenia’s democratic consolidation.

This opinion piece argues that Armenia can pursue a strategy that can lead to the defense of democracy with respect to the right to self-determination of peoples by aligning itself with other stateless nations.

The Yezidis of Armenia fought alongside their Armenian comrades during the 2020 Artsakh War. One Yezidi volunteer says that “this is our country, the graves of our ancestors are here and the future of our children is here.”

As part of its mirroring propaganda operation during the war that was intended to cloud the information landscape, Azerbaijan also systematically mirrored the Armenian side’s visuals as well.

Faced with loss and uncertainty, the Armenians of Artsakh are trying to come to grips with the defeat following the war and finding a way to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

The isolationism of former global powers in a fractured world has left vulnerable countries at the mercy of power-hungry regional players.

The defeat in Artsakh was a profound loss on multiple levels. The actions taken today, will impact the future of the Armenian nation.

Instead of presenting a detailed plan to help guide the country toward a number of clearly-defined national goals, PM Nikol Pashinyan’s road map resembled a laundry list of necessary post-war actions to take to mitigate the fallout.

After 44 days of reluctant and often one-sided reporting of the 2020 Artsakh War and amidst the grey horror of cluster bombed homes, the red flames of Karvajar’s houses instantly made international headlines.

In the context of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the “Albanian connection” has become a politicized issue of irredentism, hijacking the rich Christian heritage of Karabakh. The roots of this historiography go back to the Soviet policy of “nativization".

During the Artsakh War, Azerbaijan used mirroring propaganda to try and keep the two sides on equal moral terms, creating an information fog until international journalists began arriving to the conflict zone.

In Artsakh, there is a somber air of loss, uncertainty and grief. During 45 days of war, everyone and everything from soldiers to villagers, trees to structures were afflicted and irreversibly altered. A collection of images from November 12-14, a few days after the "peace" agreement.

Western countries imposed sanctions on Belarus’ Aleksandr Lukashenko for cracking down on democracy and attacking civilians. Ilham Aliyev has actually been more brutal but has not been penalized.

In the wake of the November 10 ceasefire agreement and introduction of Russian peacekeepers to Artsakh, details of its implementation are still being discussed. Meanwhile, opposition party leaders were arrested for allegedly planning Pashinyan’s assassination.

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format to remain unchanged. Protests continue in Yerevan. Pashinyan meets with President and parliamentary caucus.

Resolve is different from blind faith that “this too shall pass.” We need the entire Armenian nation to start getting ready for the next encounter, writes Raffi Kassarjian.

The country is shaken after crushing terms were imposed to end the 2020 Artsakh War. As government buildings were vandalized overnight, attention has shifted to Yerevan. Updates to be provided as they develop.

As fierce battles for the defense of Shushi continue, a number of opposition forces demand the resignation of the Prime Minister and the government; a Russian military helicopter is shot down by Azerbaijani forces from the exclave of Nakhichevan.

Armenian forces were able to hold the strategic and symbolic city of Shushi even as Azerbaijani forces brought in additional reinforcements. The battle for the fortress town continues to be bloody.

The ongoing war in Artsakh has profoundly impacted the Armenian world. Photojournalist Eric Grigorian's photo essay reflects on those who have had to bear the heavy human toll in protecting and safeguarding the homeland. Images are from Artsakh, Goris and Yerevan, taken between October 24 and November 5, 2020.

Intense battles have been taking place around Shushi. Azerbaijani forces were able to advance closer to the city today. According to the Defense Ministry, Azerbaijan is putting all of its power into capturing the symbolic fortress town.

It had been almost two decades since Gohar Karapetyan last made the trip from Artsakh to Yerevan when she decided, on the morning of October 1, to repeat the journey, this time to escape a raging war.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry says that, after intense battles, the defense of Shushi has been successful. After heavy bombing the night before, an elderly woman and her two grandchildren were killed. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Statistics about numbers of civilians and young conscripts killed in conflict often water down the true magnitude of human loss. This is the story of one family’s struggle through the 2020 Artsakh War.

The Artsakh War has entered its 40th day. More than 1100 Armenian servicemen and 50 civilians have been killed. As Azerbaijani forces attempt to reach Shushi, the President of Artsakh says that everything is being done to ensure the town remains impregnable.

While today marks the 70th anniversary of the signature of the European Convention on Human Rights, civilian settlements in Artsakh continue to be targeted by Azerbaijani forces resulting in civilian casualties and damage to vital civilian infrastructure.

In Stepanakert, EVN Report spoke with Artsakh's Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan about the political decisions of the international community and the reasons for the artificial parity in their vocabulary, their failure to realize that authoritarian regimes do not understand the language of statements but that of action and their failure to prevent, followed by their failure to protect.

Stepanakert and Shushi came under shelling again this evening; Azerbaijani forces have started using banned incendiary cluster munitions; Lavrov says external players must use their powers to prevent mercenaries being sent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region. A chronology of official updates.

As the war rages on, almost 80,000 Armenians from Artsakh have fled their native towns and cities and found refuge throughout Armenia proper. While they are grateful for the care they are receiving, their dream is to go back home.

Forests in almost all the regions of Artsakh are burning because of incendiary munitions; Azerbaijani forces attempt a large-scale offensive in the northwestern direction of the front line; Artsakh’s Deputy Minister of Defense is killed in battle. Here is a chronology of official updates.

A second jihadist mercenary is captured by the Artsakh Defense Army, who admits to being offered a $2000/month salary, plus a bonus of $100 for each beheading. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Despite international calls, mediation efforts and urgent appeals to cease fire, the war in Artsakh continues unabated. There is evidence that Azerbaijani forces used phosphorus munitions signaling a new low in the hostilities. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The 2020 Karabakh War has had regional implications for neighboring countries, specifically on Iranian public and foreign policy. Hamed Kazemzadeh looks at the internal and external dimensions of Iran’s stance.

As Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Geneva for mediated talks, Azerbaijani forces continued to shell peaceful settlements in Artsakh and Armenia. U.S. National Security Advisor says any Turkish mediation is a non-starter, suggests Scandinavian peacekeepers be deployed.

A meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan is expected to take place in Geneva tomorrow; Stepanakert and other towns and villages continue to come under constant shelling by Azerbaijani forces. Here is a chronology of official updates.

This primer provides the reader with an overview of the historical origins of the Karabakh conflict, the Soviet era, the war, the peace process all the way to the Four Day War in April 2016.

Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh and the town of Shushi came under intensive shelling today by Azerbaijani forces. A maternity hospital in Stepanakert and other civilian infrastructure were heavily damaged resulting in casualties. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Ilham Aliyev’s gamble is doomed to fail. His risk calculation and management toolbox is inherently defective. The initial military advantage of his army had clear drivers which the Defense Army of Artsakh has now fully identified, unearthed and contextualized.

A month has passed since Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh. To date, over 1000 Armenian servicemen have been killed, countless wounded while civilian settlements continue to be bombarded. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The U.S.-brokered humanitarian ceasefire that was to come into force at 8 a.m. local time on October 26 has not held. As battles continued, Artsrun Hovhannisyan admitted that Azerbaijani forces are at the gates of Armenia’s Syunik region, but said the situation is not dire. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to yet another humanitarian ceasefire in Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh that will come into effect at 8 a.m. local time on October 26, 2020. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The humanitarian emergency in the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh requires the engagement of humanitarian and donor organizations, without regard to its international recognition, its present or future status.

While Azerbaijani forces continue to target peaceful settlements, Artsakh’s Ombudsman said civilians in Artsakh are at high risk as Azerbaijani subversive units move into civilian settlements and pull back. There are a number of civilians missing. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As Armenian and Azerbaijani forces continue to pummel one another, battle lines across Artsakh are being drawn, erased and redrawn. Diplomacy, at least for the time being, has broken down and the future remains uncertain. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The narrow geopolitical framework of the three-decade-old Karabakh conflict is now threatening to become a Eurasian nightmare: Turkey's involvement has sensationalized the war, Iran’s unease has reinforced the confusion, while Russia's perceived passiveness has created much regional anxiety.

As intense military operations continue in Artsakh, the number of COVID-19 cases in Armenia has skyrocketed. Healthcare officials warn that with the number of wounded soldiers requiring medical care, if people don’t start following the anti-epidemic guidelines, the healthcare system could collapse.

Armenophobic comments from Azerbaijani’s President are nothing new. He has long drummed up support among his population by promoting hatred against Armenians and using dehumanizing language, often referring to them as dogs and vermin.

In light of the existential threat, high probability of ethnic cleansing and the already imminent humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, the international community has an obligation to grant remedial recognition to Artsakh.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said hope for a diplomatic solution is not viable at this stage as Azerbaijan is refusing to compromise. In fact, he said that Baku will not agree to anything less than the capitulation of Karabakh. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the death toll mounts for both sides in the war, contact lines are constantly shifting as pitched battles are taking place, primarily in the south of Artsakh; some legislators in France and the U.S. are calling for the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As PM Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev express willingness to meet in Moscow to discuss the ongoing war in Artsakh, the foreign ministers of the two countries are set to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, D.C. this Friday. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Fleeing the war, the women of Artsakh -- mothers, daughters, sisters and wives -- held a rally in front of the UN building in Yerevan asking for one simple thing, the right to live in peace.

A second attempt at a cessation of fire for humanitarian purposes failed after Azerbaijani forces began firing using artillery and small arms several minutes after the truce was supposed to come into effect. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Journalist Lusine Musayelyan remembers the first war. She remembers Baroness Caroline Cox giving her colorful candy in crinkly paper. She remembers the bombing and the bunkers.

Following a day that saw Azerbaijani drones being shot down over Armenian airspace, Stepanakert coming under heavy shelling and the Azerbaijani city of Ganja being hit, a humanitarian truce was announced. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the number of casualties, both military and civilian, increases intense battles continue in Artsakh. The war, now in its 20th day, continues to rage. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Photojournalist Eric Grigorian captures the devastation of war, its destruction of lives, heritage sites and schools. A portrait of a nation at war, of a capital where the elderly and the grieving live underground.

The children of Artsakh are enduring displacement, loss and trauma. While Artsakh is not a recognized state, the children of Artsakh have a right to be recognized, protected and cared for. As the war rages, the human cost will be unbearable. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As Azerbaijani forces intensified their operations along the front line Artsakh President of Arayik Harutyunyan and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia addressed the nation. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The war has infiltrated almost every Armenian home. While soldiers are fighting on the front, a new generation of children and their families who escaped this new war in Artsakh are looking for ways to cope with the new trauma.

As one of the most intense battles since the start of the war took place today, Artsakh’s President called for the participation of every Armenian to ensure future generations live in peace, while Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Minister met with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Armenia and Russia met in Moscow to discuss the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, intense battles continued in the southern direction of the frontline. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Artsakh’s president says that if Azerbaijan does not show willingness to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in the next two days, he will request that Armenia and other countries formally recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Does the armed conflict of international character waged by Azerbaijan and Turkey against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh warrant an international recognition of Artsakh’s remedial secession?

After almost two weeks of bloody battles in Artsakh, a humanitarian ceasefire was brokered in Moscow. As the deadline approached, Azerbaijani intensified their military operations. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Azerbaijan, in collaboration with Turkey is responsible for grave breaches of international humanitarian law and war crimes. The international tribunal should not turn a blind eye to the situation.

As the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia meet in Moscow to try and agree on a cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijani armed forces attack Stepanakert. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Statements and hints by Azerbaijan about an impending war went unheeded. Why would Armenia want to halt the negotiation process to start a war? Here are some of the facts and context which demonstrate it was Azerbaijan that started the war.

As battles continue along the Line of Contact, the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots Church in Shushi was targeted twice today by Azerbaijani forces, considerably damaging the historic monument and wounding several foreign journalists. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Now in its eleventh day, the Artsakh War is proving to be one of the fiercest, bloodiest battles the region has seen since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As civilian infrastructure continues to be targeted in Stepanakert, the Azerbaijani military launched another large-scale offensive in the southern direction of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact today. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Given the geography, tactics and methods of the Azerbaijani offensive, the autocratic regime of Ilham Aliyev is aiming to forcibly occupy the territory of Artsakh through committing large-scale atrocities.

As the hordes mass at Armenia’s gates, the U.S. and Europe, the supposed guardians of peace and justice, remain reluctant to intervene to halt the violence due to self-interest and capitulation to Turkish blackmail.

The inclusion of the term genocide is not being loosely thrown around. As the war rages on, the potential for genocide against ethnic Armenians in Artsakh is very real and highly probable, writes Suren Manukyan.

As fierce battles continue on the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Artsakh as civilians and vital infrastructure come under fire, particularly in the capital Stepanakert.

As Stepanakert came under continuous bombardment today, Armenian forces went on the counter-offensive and targeted the military airport in Ganja, Azerbaijan. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh came under continual shelling by Azerbaijani armed forces, photojournalist Eric Grigorian captured the devastating aftermath.

The Azerbaijani-Turkish joint venture of transplanting mercenaries into Azerbaijan has the potential to turn the region into a new hub of sectarian violence and create a security breakdown for the wider region. Here is the EU response.

In one of the worst days of fighting on the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact, the President of Artsakh heads to the front line with special forces and Armenia’s Prime Minister addresses the nation. Here is a chronology of official updates.

For a week now, Yerevan seems to have changed its colors, its mood and even its soundscape. While the war rages on the front lines, the home front is bursting with support, solidarity and love.

The city of Martakert in Artsakh came under heavy shelling twice since the start of the war. This photo story captures the aftermath.

After Azerbaijani armed forces launched a wide scale offensive in Artsakh, today, the capital Stepanakert came under the heaviest shelling since the end of the first Karabakh War. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The capital of the Republic of Artsakh was shelled twice today by Azerbaijani armed forces injuring civilians and damaging buildings and infrastructure. Photojournalist Eric Grigorian captured these images in Stepanakert.

While Iran's response to the current escalation is neutral and balanced, there are concerns about Azerbaijan's desire for a military solution, Turkey's involvement and the arrival of terrorists in the region.

A number of international media outlets have published stories about Syrian militants who have been offered up to $1500/month by Turkey to fight alongside the Azerbaijani military.

As battles rage along the length of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Contact Line, a number of foreign and Armenian journalists were wounded when the city of Martuni came under Azerbaijani fire.

Azerbaijan continues to target civilian populations in Artsakh using combat drones and artillery strikes which have resulted in civilian casualties in Martakert. Here is a chronology of official updates.

These powerful images capture fragments of life in Artsakh, a place that is boundlessly resilient yet has too often become a home to war.

In a third day of fighting, Turkey is not hiding its direct involvement, including the use of its air force. Azerbaijan’s intense attacks against Artsakh have expanded to also include Armenia’s eastern Gegharkunik region around Lake Sevan.

Following the attack by Azerbaijani Armed Forces on September 27, the women and children of Stepanakert shelter in bunkers while most of the men are off to the frontline.

Fighting continued on Monday, September 28, 2020 along the Line of Contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, after the launch of an assault by Azerbaijan the previous day that has been unprecedented. We present a briefing of the situation.

In the early morning hours of September 27, Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched an offensive along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact. We present a briefing of the situation.

Դարեր շարունակ գյուղատնտեսությունը եղել է հայ ժողովրդի կյանքի անբաժան մասը։ Երկրագործությամբ և անասնապահությամբ զբաղվող հայերն իրենց կենցաղը, ավանդույթներն ու ծեսերը հյուսել են գյուղատնտեսական առօրյայի շուրջ՝ սերունդներին փոխանցելով ահռելի ազգագրական ժառանգություն։ Մեր նորաստեղծ ամսագրի առաջին փոդքասթը հայ ժողովրդի կյանքում գյուղատնտեսության կարևորության, ավանդույթների և աշխատանքային երգերի մասին է։ Մասնակցությամբ՝ Սուրեն Հոբոսյանի - պատմական գիտությունների թեկնածու, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ հնագիտության և ազգագրության ինստիտուտի հայ ազգագրության բաժնի վարիչ Տորք Դալալյանի - բանասիրական գիտությունների թեկնածու, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ հնագիտության և ազգագրության ինստիտուտի բանահյուսության տեսության և պատմության բաժնի ավագ գիտաշխատող Նունե Աթանասյանի - արվեստագիտության թեկնածու, դոցենտ, Երևանի Կոմիտասի անվան կոնսերվատորիայի հայ երաժշտական ֆոլկլորագիտության ամբիոնի վարիչ։ Փոդքասթում հնչող ստեղծագործություններ՝ 1. Հայրիկ Մուրադյան - Բարի լուսո (Գութանի երգ) 2. Հասմիկ Հարությունյան - Հարի, հարի՛, խնոցի 3. Անուշ Հարությունյան - Հինգ էծ ունեմ (աղբյուրը՝ Հայկական ազգային երաժշտական գանձարան) 4. «Ակունք» ազգագրական համույթ - Սանդի երգ (աղբյուրը՝ Հայկական ազգային երաժշտական գանձարան) 5. Հայրիկ Մուրադյան - Լե լե խլպանե 6. Մարինե Մկրտչյան - Հաց կթխեմ, գարի ա 7. Բամբիռ - Վիշապազուն քուրմը կանչե 8. Լուսինե Ազարյան - Անձրևաբեր երգ (աղբյուրը՝ Հայկական ազգային երաժշտական գանձարան) 9. Ալեքսան Հարությունյան - Կալի երգ (աղբյուրը՝ Հայկական ազգային երաժշտական գանձարան) 10. Արթուր Շահնազարյան - Ձիգ տու, քաշի (աղբյուրը՝ Հայկական ազգային երաժշտական գանձարան) 11. Կարեն Զադիրյան, Կորյուն Հակոբյան- Սահարի (աղբյուրը՝ Հայկական ազգային երաժշտական գանձարան) 12. «Կարին» համույթ - Հորովել 13. Կոմիտաս Վարդապետ - Գութաներգ 14. Լուսիկ Քոշյան - Մաշինեն եկավ 15. Հայկ Մելիքյան - Կոմիտաս Վարդապետ, «Յոթ երգ դաշնամուրի համար» 16. Կոմիտաս Վարդապետ - Հով արեք, սարեր ջան Ձայնագրել և խմբագրել է Արփինե Հարոյանը:

Even in Lebanon’s greatest time of need, officials corrupt democracy to entrench themselves in power rather than cater to the needs of the people.

The contours of Armenophobia presuppose the dehumanization of an entire people, where hatred and aversion towards an Armenian is embedded in Azerbaijan’s political culture, writes Nerses Kopalyan.

A nation that has been confronted by the choice to either adopt another's culture by subterfuge or by violence, or face cultural extinction is a nation that has experienced the agony of cultural genocide. A conversation between two historians.

For over a century, almost every generation has experienced a disruption of continuity, security and safety, resulting in a cycle of upheaval, writes Maria Titizian.

While Artsakh has experienced the highest per capita accident rate in the world, it has seen a ten-fold reduction in landmine accidents since The HALO Trust began demining operations in 2000.

For nearly three months, a tracking system overseeing the phone calls and locations of citizens has been implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19. EVN Report’s Astghik Karapetyan talked to several experts on the efficiency, flaws and possible dangers of the system.

In this second part of Making Sense of the Numbers, Raffi Kassarjian, using a number of metrics, looks at the development of the virus and governments’ efforts to balance managing its progress with sustaining a minimum level of economic and social activity.

For the first time in weeks, the number of active COVID-19 cases dips below 10,000; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan meets with German medics who are in Armenia to work with local medical staff; temporary restrictions on movement have been imposed in the village of Haterk in Artsakh and more.

The latest IRI poll shows that 71% are satisfied with how the Armenian government has handled the COVID-19 situation, but apprehension about future economic consequences remain.

The flare-up of violence on the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border triggered a chain of reactions in Azerbaijan and Turkey. Historian Vahram Ter-Matevosyan examines the domestic situation in Azerbaijan and the implications of Turkish involvement.

The Ministry of Health urges citizens to refrain from celebrating Vardavar; the Arabkir Medical Center which has been treating children infected with COVID-19 provides an update on the situation; Head of the National Immunization Program says vaccinations have decreased and more.

Taking into consideration the situation at the border, Prime Minister Pashinyan underscored the need for the country to be strong, urging citizens to follow guidelines to slow down the rate of infection; the Health Minister says there has been some progress over the last two weeks but more needs to be done.

Armenian and Iranian health ministries to collaborate in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic; Lithuania’s First Lady sends gifts to Armenian children infected by the virus; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan meets with Italian Ambassador to express gratitude for the group of Italian medics who had assisted Armenian medical staff and more.

The State of Emergency is extended for the fourth time until August 12; Deputy Prime Minister and Warden of the Special Commission Tigran Avinyan provides updates on the COVID-19 situation during a special session of parliament and more.

All those with chronic respiratory illnesses will no longer be obligated to wear a face mask in open public spaces; during the Government Session, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said that the COVID-19 situation in the country remains stable but critical and that the healthcare sector needs to continue expanding its capacity.

During a press conference today, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan presented the Ministry’s strategy and key actions in the battle against COVID-19 over the past several months. Currently, over 500 people have lost their lives to the virus; the cumulative number of infections is expected to surpass 30,000 in the coming days.

While it is still early to assess the effectiveness of the Armenian government’s COVID-19 response, Lusine Sargsyan reviews some of the key measures authorities introduced over the past five months.

Elderly residents of the Nork Old Age Home who were infected with COVID-19 have all recovered; volunteers distribute face masks and explain anti-epidemic rules at several dozen stands placed throughout Yerevan; Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says the State of Emergency will likely be extended and more.

A new infection hub is detected in Artsakh; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan says that the Spitak Medical Center is now part of the network of hospitals treating COVID-19 patients; Armenia received 10,000 COVID-19 diagnostic tests from the World Health Organization; authorities continue to urge citizen to follow safety guidelines and more.

According to the Health Ministry, almost 400 medical personnel, including doctors, nurses and orderlies have been infected since March 1; there over 650 patients in critical or extremely critical condition; strict safety measures to be implemented during university entrance exams to be held in the coming week and more.

A recent joint statement by three Members of the European Parliament on the construction of a new, third highway between Armenia and Artsakh was not well-received in Armenian circles.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says everyone should “restart” their behavior and this includes state bodies and agencies, the police force and businesses and that an ineffective lockdown is more problematic than no lockdown at all; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan calls for a “conscious lockdown” and more.

For Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, and for Syrian-Armenians in Yerevan, crafting served as a way of earning a living and as a process of rebuilding and reimagining a social world through the temporal markers that help them nurture a sense of “home.”

As the number of cases continues to rise in Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says stricter regulations will be imposed in the near future; anesthesiologist and ICU specialist Dr. Karen Tonoyan says the virus has the capacity to destroy families and urges people to come together and fight alongside medical staff.

The twenty-second assistance package aimed at mitigating the consequences of COVID-19 is rolled out; EBRD provides $20 million loan for businesses affected by the economic impact of the pandemic; Armenia registers another one-day record of new cases bringing the total number of infected to 22,488.

A second group of French doctors arrived tonight; Prime Minister Pashinyan says that if all of the government’s resources were directed exclusively to the healthcare sector, Armenia would not just have experienced an economic decline but rather an economic collapse.

As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout Armenia, it is leaving behind physical and emotional scars. In this moving piece, Gohar Abrahamyan speaks with those who contracted the virus and survived.

Health Minister Arsen Torosyan says more hospitals will join the network of COVID-19 specialized medical centers; French doctor says he is greatly impressed with medical staff in Armenia; first group of Russian doctors arrive to support local doctors as they battle the virus and more.

The number of public kindergartens operating in Yerevan will be restricted; a new COVID-19 infection hub has been identified in the region of Martakert in Artsakh, with two communities coming under lockdown for an indefinite period of time; the price of domestically-produced face masks is expected to decrease and more.

Health officials see encouraging trend in COVID-19 numbers; a new quarantine center is built for children; doctors from Lithuania expected to arrive in a few days; the Republic of Artsakh registers another 12 new cases bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 91.

A team of French doctors arrive to assist medical staff; during the daily briefing, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan provides updates on their COVID-19 activities; 225 Armenian citizens return from Saint Petersburg on a charter flight and more.

Health Minister Arsen Torosyan starts posting names of neighborhoods where the virus is spreading in clusters in an effort to encourage people to avoid coming together without masks or physical distancing; PM Nikol Pashinyan says despite all efforts, many people are still not wearing masks and more.

Azerbaijani hackers release the personal data of 3,500 COVID-19 patients in Armenia; PM Nikol Pashinyan discusses how Armenia’s Soviet legacy complicates government communication; civic activists form anti-epidemic teams, and more.

As the COVID-19 situation remains critical in Armenia, the government decides to extend the State of Emergency for another month; doctors from France and Lithuania expected to arrive to help local medical staff; over 150 businesses are forced to suspend operations for 24 hours for violating safety guidelines and more.

Georgia will be sending a team of doctors to Armenia to assist local medical staff in their fight against COVID-19; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan says the situation remains critical but the healthcare system continues to expand its capacity; the Republic of Artsakh extends the emergency situation for another 30 days and more.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says that coronavirus is not just affecting the healthcare sector but also the country’s political sector; Lithuania and Estonia promise to help Armenia; Regional Governors brief the public on the COVID-19 situation in the regions, and more.

While the situation remains critical, PM Pashinyan says there are hopes it will start stabilizing; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan explains the increasing recovery numbers; an Armenian doctor living in Germany returns to work with patients in critical condition, and more.

Three high-ranking security officials sacked after it was revealed that one of them had held his son’s wedding in his private home; during the daily briefing, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said there are political forces whose objective is to see the virus spread and spiral out of control and more.

Armenia’s healthcare system is at the brink of collapse according to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan; more than 200 people infected with COVID-19 are waiting to be hospitalized; the village of Zoragyugh is placed under lockdown and more.

I was so privileged that I had never reflected on my privilege before, writes Harout Manougian, in lieu of this week’s “It Has To Be Said” editorial.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for a mass anti-epidemic movement in the country, where each citizen is not only responsible for their own behavior but also for those around them; number of staff at kindergartens test positive; police given orders to strictly enforce safety regulations and more.

As numbers increase at an alarming rate, stricter enforcement will be implemented; PM Nikol Pashinyan says that the best tool is public monitoring; an ICU doctor appeals to the public to follow safety guidelines to allow medical staff to finally see their families, and more.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan begins posting photos of people violating safety regulations on his Facebook page, garnering criticism; a 4-year-old with COVID-19 is diagnosed with Kawasaki syndrome; Armenia’s Police Chief says that they have registered over 20,000 violations since the State of Emergency was declared.

Armenia registers another daily record as the cumulative total of infections hits 10,000; the names and birthdates of the deceased are leaked on Facebook; Prime Minister Pashinyan warns that if people don’t comply with safety guidelines, another lockdown will be imminent.

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Armenia registers a new one-day record of 460 COVID-19 infections. As the situation continues to deteriorate, per capita figures have surpassed those of Iran and France and are now on par with those of Russia. Prime Minister Pashinyan said that if this pace continues, Armenia will soon reach per capita numbers similar to Italy’s.

Daily deaths hit a new high at 15. During a press briefing this evening, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the situation is extremely grave and called on people to follow safety regulations as new cases continue to mount.

Strict monitoring underway throughout the country to ensure compliance with safety regulations; government approves nineteenth social assistance package to mitigate the fallout from COVID-19; Health Ministry says that hydroxychloroquine is being prescribed to high-risk patients and those with pneumonia infected by the virus.

Following the daily meeting of the Special Commission of the State of Emergency, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan and Health Minister Arsen Torosyan held a briefing to provide a situation update as the number of cases increase.

Armenia’s Ministry of Health says number of new cases is due to increased testing; several staff and children at a Yerevan orphanage test positive; a number of businesses violating regulations have been shut down and more.

As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the country in a Facebook live, urging people to follow safety measures. Health Minister Arsen Torosyan says there are only 32 available ICU beds left.

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent statement regarding a step-by-step approach to resolving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict reflects Russia’s centuries-old imperial instincts of using divide-and-conquer tactics on its periphery.

During a press briefing, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said that if the current trend continues, Armenia will reach over 10,000 cases of COVID-19 in two weeks; 270 children and 23 pregnant women have been infected with the virus; Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the situation is more serious than citizens are viewing it and much more.

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rise in the country, authorities are appealing to the public to practice social responsibility and not believe in conspiracy theories; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan says there will be strategic changes in medical care and delivery and much more.

Armenia registers record number of new cases in one day; Health Minister Arsen Torosyan makes appeal to stop disseminating and believing in unfounded conspiracy theories; Yerevan city officials hold press conference, updating residents about new regulations and more.

When a State of Emergency was declared in Armenia because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs. Many of them were unregistered workers and today have found themselves more vulnerable than ever.

More than 40 elderly residents of the Nork Old Age Home and several staff members have tested positive for COVID-19; restrictions on the operation of retail outlets (including malls), restaurants and cafes, gyms, kindergartens, preschools and other spheres lifted; more medical supplies and equipment arrive in Armenia.

Armenia is struggling to find the appropriate balance between health and safety on the one hand, and the threat of severe economic disruption on the other. Raffi Kassarjian looks at the data to understand what is driving the increasing number of cases.

Armenia’s government extends State of Emergency until June 13; a number of restrictions will be lifted including restarting public transportation and reopening of kindergartens; a special session of parliament convenes to hear Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, the Warden of the Special Commission, present the Government’s proposal.