Category: 2021

 10:05,

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The rescuers of Artsakh have found 8 more bodies of fallen servicemen during the search operations in the battle zones on January 28, the State Emergency Service told Armenpress.

“The bodies have not been identified, forensic examination will be carried out.

So far, a total of 1329 bodies have been found as a result of the search operations, 15 of which are civilians according to preliminary data.

Today the search operations continue in Martuni, Hadrut and Jrakan (Jabrayil) sections”, the statement said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:06,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. 59 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 166,728, the ministry of healthcare said today.

265 more patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 156,910.

2 more patients have died, raising the death toll to 3069.

1190 tests were conducted in the past one day.

The number of active cases is 5984.

The number of patients who had coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 765 (3 new such cases).

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:00,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Defense Ministry reported on January 29 that its entire peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) completed undergoing the first dose vaccination against COVID-19 with the Sputnik-V vaccine. 

The second dose will be administered to the personnel by February 28^th.

It noted that the vaccination was optional for servicemen. “More than 1900 Russian servicemen were vaccinated”, it said.

There are 1960 Russian peacekeepers stationed in Nagorno Karabakh.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:12,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. A former lawmaker from Artsakh has been arrested for what authorities described as “threatening” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Vahan Badasyan, an ex-Member of Parliament of Artsakh and the president of the United Armenia political party, is arrested for a statement he made on January 28 when asked by reporters about potential options of ousting the Premier. “[There are] different [ways], up to physically removing [him], this implies that we should remove the enemy, even with arms”, he had said.  This statement was deemed by authorities as having contained a death threat against Pashinyan, and the ex-MP was taken into custody by National Security Service operatives the same day.

The National Security Service said their investigators have filed a motion to a court requesting to remand Badasyan in pre-trial detention.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:25,

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Only three new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed over the past 24 hours in Artsakh, bringing the cumulative total number of confirmed cases to 2322, the country’s health authorities announced.

42 tests were conducted over the past 24 hours.

The total death toll stands at 31.

The health ministry did not mention the number of active cases but said that only 27 patients are being treated at the hospital, while “patients with mild symptoms are treated at home.”

Artsakh health authorities said they continue testing direct contacts of the confirmed cases.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:38,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community in Lebanon suffered no damages as a result of the protests in Tripoli, the second largest city of Lebanon, Editor-in-chief of Azdag daily Shahan Gantaharian told Armenpress.

“We have an Armenian church, school and club in Tripoli. The Armenian structures have not been damaged. The Armenian community in the city is small. No injuries have been reported among Armenians”, he said, adding that no one from the Armenian community is participating in the protests.

Gantaharyan called the overall situation concerning as the coronavirus situation, the financial crisis and the lockdown in the country have resulted in the citizens’ complaint. He said the banking system is not operating completely, there is unemployment, the Lebanese currency has depreciated.

Clashes erupted between the protesters and the police in Tripoli: injuries have been reported, stores have been damaged. The protesters have even entered into the building of the Tripoli city hall.

“Protests have also taken place in Beirut but with a smaller scale. The protesters have blocked the traffic, but the police managed to unblock it”, the representative of the Armenian community said.

The coronavirus disease has been spread a lot in the country, the death toll is growing. “Unfortunately, we also have deaths from the virus among the Armenian community. The hospitals are overloaded. And this leads to big problems”, he said.

Asked whether the Armenian community is currently facing social difficulties, Gantaharyan said “of course”. “The overall situation is such in the country. There is also political uncertainty, a prime minister has been appointed, but he hasn’t yet formed a cabinet. In other words, there is both political uncertainty, economic crisis and the coronavirus”, he said.

Gantaharyan, however, assured that the Armenian community in Lebanon continues delivering aid to the needy families through self-organization, they are trying to find a place for the COVID-19 infected people in hospitals, the respective services are operating. Flights from Beirut to Yerevan are carried out once a week.

The protests started in Tripoli on January 25: people demand to improve the living conditions, accuse the authorities of inaction and oppose the extended COVID-19 quarantine.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:49,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Police Chief of Armenia Vahe Ghazaryan received Ambassador of Belarus to Armenia Alexander Konyuk, the Armenia Police told Armenpress.

Vahe Ghazaryan congratulated the Ambassador on appointment. He highly appreciated the cooperation between the Police of Armenia and the Belarusian Ministry of Interior.

The Police Chief expressed readiness to continue and expand the partnership between the two respective structures.

In turn the Belarusian Ambassador thanked for the warm welcome and attached importance to the current relations between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries both at the bilateral level and within the international organizations.

Various issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:40,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The European Union has welcomed the return of 5 Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan and called on to immediately release the remaining servicemen, Lead spokesperson for the external affairs of the EU Peter Stano said on Twitter.

“The EU welcomes release of 5 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan in November and calls for the immediate release of the 57 remaining in custody. This would contribute to building confidence between both countries which is important for lasting peace in the region”, he said.

On January 28, 5 prisoners of war have been returned to Armenia from Azerbaijan by the mediation of the Russian side and the efforts of the Armenian National Security Service. The 5 POWs were among the 62 Armenian servicemen who have been captured by Azerbaijan in Hadrut region in November 2020.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:15,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh denies the reports spread by some Armenian media outlets according to which 15 Armenian servicemen have been captured on their way from Goris to Artsakh, to their permanent military unit.

Official of the Artsakh Defense Ministry Suren Sarumyan told Armenpress that these reports have nothing to do with the reality.

“The information is fake. We will soon release a respective statement”, he said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan