Rosa Linn, an Armenian musician, has been a prominent supporter of the troubled province with the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Artsakh. Linn utilised her recent appearance at iHeart’s ALTer Ego event to raise awareness of the predicament facing the people of Artsakh and to advocate for international assistance. The crisis was purportedly started by Azerbaijani eco-activists who blocked the Lachin corridor, which was the region’s only route to Armenia and the outside world.
Since December 12, 2022, the blockade has triggered severe shortages of essential supplies. An estimated 400 tons of food and medicine, typically transported through the corridor each day, have been cut off. The blockade’s impact is felt by the region’s 120,000 residents who are not only grappling with the shortage but are also hindered from crossing the border into Armenia.
Adding to the crisis, infrastructure damage in areas controlled by Azerbaijan has disrupted electricity and internet services in Artsakh. Although Russian peacekeepers have managed to negotiate the restoration of internet service, the Lachin corridor remains closed, escalating the severity of the situation.
With a global platform at her disposal, Rosa Linn has taken to Instagram to mobilize international support for the people of Artsakh. She has urged the cessation of U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan and advocated for the provision of humanitarian aid to Artsakh. Her appeal resonates with the region’s dire need for relief and the urgency for global powers to intervene.
The United Nations is planning to send a mission to Nagorno Karabakh to assess the humanitarian needs amid the exodus of ethnic Armenians. The Azerbaijani government has agreed to the mission, and the UN World Food Program is setting up tents to provide meals for the refugees. Russian trucks carrying humanitarian aid have also arrived in the region, marking the first such crossing allowed in over three decades.
The shipments, which include blankets, toiletries, and food parcels, arrived via Azerbaijani-controlled territory. This development came after an agreement allowing aid deliveries through Azerbaijani territory in the hope of unblocking the Lachin Corridor in the near future.