President Armen Sarkissian meets with Head of ”Prosperous Armenia” Party Gagik Tsarukyan
18:22,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian met with President of ”Prosperous Armenia” Party Gagik Tsarukyan on December 18.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the President, the situation in the country was discussed.
18:48,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh denies the fake publications of Azerbaijan about taking hostage 62 Armenian servicemen. ARMENPRESS reports the statement issued by the Defense Army notes that a footage is being spread on the internet saying that 62 Armenian servicemen have been taken hostage by the Azerbaijani army.
The Defense Army of Artsakh informs that in the recent days no incident of taking hostage of Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijani troops has been recorded in the zone of the Defense Army responsibility and the mentioned information does not correspond to the reality.
The Defense Army also calls on the domestic news outlets not to spread false Azerbaijani publications that are aimed at influencing on the public moods.
Director of Russia’s FSB meets with Aliyev, discusses NK conflict settlement
19:18,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Following the working visit to Yerevan, Director of Russia’s FSB Aleksandr Bortnikov visited Baku and met with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, ARMENPRESS reports Azerbaijani media informs.
During the meeting the sides discussed the situation in the region, the settlement of NK conflict and the implementation of the provisions of the declaration on ending the war signed between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
19:53,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan visited the south-eastern border on December 18. Harutyunyan followed the process of military duty in the new positions, talked to the commanders and servicemen.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, Minister Harutyunyan also visited the positions where the distance between Armenian and Azerbaijani border guards is just 100 meters.
The Defense Minister particularly focused on the social conditions in the positions being just constructed and equipped. The commander of the southern military Corps reported to the Minister that the works for equipping the new positions have already started, particularly, aimed at the full implementation of the combat duty during bad weather conditions.
During the meeting with the military personnel Defense Minister Harutyunyan thanked the servicemen who had participated in the war, awarded some of them. The Minister emphasized that the Defense Ministry will take all possible efforts for making the front line maximally safe for service and for creating all necessary social conditions.
20:04,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. 457 refugees returned to Artsakh on December 18 accompanied by the Russian peacekeepers and military police who had left their homes earlier because of the war, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Defense Ministry of Russia.
”A total of 41 thousand and 275 people have returned to Artsakh”, the Ministry said.
11:02,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. 1174 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 151,392, the ministry of healthcare said today.
1296 more patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 129,990.
3537 tests were conducted in the past one day.
25 more patients have died, raising the death toll to 2581.
The number of active cases is 18,179.
The number of patients who had coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 642 (5 new such cases).
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
11:15,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party and parliamentary bloc Edmon Marukyan has departed for Russia.
Bright Armenia (LHK) spokesperson Aren Petunts told ARMENPRESS that “Marukyan is visiting Moscow on a brief trip.” He did not elaborate.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
11:32,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Russian peacekeepers have ensured as of December 16 the safe return of more than 40,000 refugees of Artsakh who had fled their homes during the second Nagorno Karabakh war which began on 2020 September 27 with a massive Azeri onslaught.
Russian sappers have cleared 195 hectares of territory and 60km of roads of mines. More than 6000 explosive items were discovered and disposed of. The Russian medics of the peacekeeping contingent treated nearly 600 locals in two field hospitals, one in Stepanakert and another in Martakert, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The Russian Defense Ministry added that the exchange of bodies between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues jointly with the ICRC. The search operations for those missing in action also continues.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
11:48,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. During today’s Cabinet meeting Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan said inter-positional communication exists in Artsakh’s Hin Shen village, however, he said, the problem is not completely solved yet. The deputy PM said Russian peacekeeping troops are deployed in this section.
“We expect that we will have a final solution. Defense Minister [of Armenia] Vagharshak Harutyunyan is in Syunik province. Our border troops are conducting deployment works along our borders”, the deputy PM said.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
11:51,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. During today’s Cabinet meeting Minister of territorial administration and infrastructure Suren Papikyan said he is in constant touch with the Governor of Syunik province. He informed that the Governor is conducting works with the border service and the defense ministry representatives.
“At this moment the border troops and forces are being deployed along the borders of Armenia, and in order to avoid various comments and disinformation, I want to state that Armenia’s borders are firm and under the control of the Armed Forces”, the minister said.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan