Author: Lilit Nahapetian

 12:57, 8 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Specialists at the Armenian State Academy of Crisis Management (under Ministry of Emergency Situations) are studying the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles in search and rescue operations.

The first field test using a drone took place outside the town of Aparan on January 27 and 28.

The exercise featured three scenarios: search for a missing person in a forest, search for a missing person in nighttime and search for a person covered with a layer of snow.

The drone was successful in the first two scenarios, but failed in the third one. Specialists continue working to improve and perfect the capabilities of the drones.

New tests are taking place near Stepanavan from February 4 to 8.

The studies will develop a model for using the drones in the search and rescue operations which can be useful to rescuers.

Reporting by Aram Zakaryan

Photos by Vahram Avoyan

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 17:15,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The European Union and the WHO Regional Office for Europe will work together in a major effort to support the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination in Armenia, the WHO Armenia Country Office said in a statement.

The project funded by the European Union and implemented by WHO will cover all phases – constituting “end-to-end” support – of COVID-19 vaccine deployment and vaccination and will serve as a major investment to strengthen the routine immunisation system.

The project will be implemented by WHO over a three-year period as part of a €40 million European Union-funded initiative to support six countries in the WHO European Region in preparing, deploying and monitoring rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Vaccines bring us closer towards the end of the pandemic. However, we will never beat the pandemic if the vaccination coverage concentrates only in certain parts of the world. The European Union stands by Armenia also during the process of vaccination to ensure we soon can meet together without the fear for lives of ourselves and our close ones. Together, we will beat this pandemic faster”, said the Ambassador of the European Union to Armenia, Andrea Wiktorin.

“COVID-19 knows no borders; it unites and demands united solutions. It is noteworthy that the solidarity principle made the world stand together to fight this calamity in unity. The long-lasting cooperation and the continuity of common projects between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, the European Union and the World Health Organization is a valid proof for this. Throughout the pandemic, our country faced yet another challenge. The disastrous war was a serious ordeal not only for the state but also for the healthcare system. Despite WHO’s urges to end the war, Armenia was forced to go through a 44-days long hell. Nevertheless, during the intensification of the pandemic and the war, Armenia has always felt the results of the strong support and cooperation. Even today, our colleagues are standing strong next to us and are willing to assist in the process of procuring vaccines. We are full of hope that “Health and Peace” joint initiative will help member states endure all the challenges that this pandemic has posed”, said Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of Armenia.

Egor Zaitsev, the WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Armenia, said: “Vaccines offer hope and protection to those fighting on the frontlines of this pandemic and to those at highest risk living in fear of its devastating impact. Thanks to this generous support, WHO can strengthen its collaboration with the Government of Armenia to ensure that vaccines can reach those who need them most, as soon and as efficiently as possible”.

The funds will be used initially to support the first phase of preparedness and deployment, with an emphasis on imminent needs in strategic programmatic areas such as planning, equipment/supplies, training of health workers and information campaigns.

The project builds on the European Union’s and WHO’s ongoing support to countries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the joint €35 million EU Solidarity for Health Initiative, aimed to support the partner countries in their fight against the virus and address better the needs of the most vulnerable people.

 19:39, 8 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin is personally involved in the issue of returning the Armenians taken hostage by Azerbaijan during Nagorno Karabakh war, ARMENPRESS reports Kopirkin told the reporters.

The Ambassador noted that the return of the Armenian POWs is among the priorities of the November 9 trilateral agreement. ”I do not exaggerate. This is the issue for the solution of which the President, Foreign and Defense Ministers of our country are making efforts. The solution of this issue may last longer than was initially expected, but be sure, everything possible is being done and I am confident it will be solved”, the Russian Ambassador said.

 10:18, 2 February, 2021

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. 9 more bodies of fallen servicemen have been found during the search operations in the direction of Varanda (Fizuli), official of the State Emergency Service of Artsakh Hunan Tadevosyan told Armenpress.

“According to the preliminary data, they are servicemen (either volunteers or reservists). Forensic examination will be conducted to identify them.

So far, a total of 1354 bodies have been found as a result of the search operations.

Today the search operations will be carried out in Hadrut region”, he said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:27, 3 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. South Australia became the second state in Australia to recognize the rights to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh, condemning Azerbaijan and Turkey for their invasion of the country’s indigenous Armenians in a motion passed with a vote in the House of Assembly, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The motion follows one passed by the New South Wales Parliament’s Legislative Assembly in October 2020, and similarly “calls on the Federal Government to also recognize the Republic of Artsakh as the only permanent solution to the conflict to avoid further attempts of such military aggression”.

Member for West Torrens, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP moved the historic motion, which also called out “the actions of President Erdogan of Turkey and President Aliyev of Azerbaijan in their pursuit of a policy of Pan-Turkish nationalism, which has previously led to genocide and which now threatens the Armenian population of Artsakh with ethnic cleansing”.

ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian thanked the Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia (ACASA) for their grassroots advocacy.

“We were proud to support members of Adelaide’s dedicated Armenian community for their tireless efforts on the ground, which have ensured South Australia’s parliament has joined a growing number of legislatures around the world supporting the legitimate rights to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh,” said Kayserian.