Category: 2023

 13:20,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan violated on August 21 the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire in four different locations, the Ministry of Defense of Nagorno-Karabakh said in a statement.

The Azerbaijani forces opened small arms fire early Monday morning in Martakert, Askeran, Martuni and Shushi regions.

The Ministry of Defense of Nagorno-Karabakh said it has reported the shooting incidents to the Russian peacekeepers.

 12:51,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened cross-border gunfire on Monday targeting Armenian military positions near Verin Shorzha hours after shooting at outposts in Khnatsakh, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

“On August 21, at 9:50 a.m., the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces discharged fire from different caliber small arms against the Armenian combat outposts nearby Verin Shorzha,” the Ministry of Defense of Armenia said.

 13:44,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has falsely accused Nagorno-Karabakh’s military of jamming the GPS system of a civilian aircraft flying from Fizuli to Baku.

In a statement released Monday, Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said the Azeri accusations are fake and ‘have nothing to do with reality’. Furthermore, the Fizuli-Baku airway is outside of Nagorno-Karabakh airspace.

“As noted previously, the aircraft flying in the abovementioned airway doesn’t cross the air borders of the Republic of Artsakh. By spreading such false statements Azerbaijan seeks to divert the international community’s attention from the daily deteriorating humanitarian disaster resulting from the illegal blockade of Lachin Corridor,” the Ministry of Defense of Nagorno-Karabakh said.

It added that Azerbaijan itself has been consistently targeting civilian infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh during and after the 2020 war, by blocking the Lachin Corridor, disrupting gas and electricity supplies and jamming internet and mobile phone connection.

 14:44,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. For the first time in over two months, Russian peacekeepers have facilitated the transfer of over 40 people, citizens of Russia and Nagorno-Karabakh, from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

The Center for Cooperation with the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Government said that 41 citizens of Russia and Nagorno-Karabakh were transported from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia on August 21 – the first such transfer since June 14.

“The Russian citizens were waiting for their transportation for a long time, while the citizens of Artsakh are students who have enrolled in universities in Armenia and abroad. According to a preliminary agreement reached with the peacekeepers, the transport of students and Russian citizens will continue in the coming days. Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani side continues to obstruct the movement of many persons in two directions. At this moment, hundreds of citizens are waiting in Armenia for their return to Artsakh, 333 people with conditions requiring urgent and planned intervention are on an ICRC waiting list for their transfer to Armenia, in addition to the thousands of people who require two-way movement for humanitarian, working and other purposes,” the Center for Cooperation with the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent of the Nagorno-Karabakh Government said in a statement, warning that Azerbaijan continues to create humiliating conditions in the illegal checkpoint at Hakari Bridge, in addition to the unlawful control and obstacles against Nagorno-Karabakh residents. “In particular, against the persons’ will, the Azerbaijanis and their invited journalists have again filmed the persons’ faces and used it for propaganda. Besides, the Azerbaijani side did not allow the Russian peacekeeping contingent’s vehicles to pass across Hakari Bridge and forced the passengers to carry their baggage and walk across the bridge,” it added. The passengers then continued to their destination on vehicles that approached from Goris. A video of the transfer has been released as evidence.

“The passage of the citizens through the illegal Azeri checkpoint doesn’t anyhow change the position of the government of the Republic of Artsakh regarding that checkpoint on Lachin Corridor and the remaining Azerbaijani obstructions. The government of the Republic of Artsakh continues to insist that unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and goods must be completely restored in both directions along Lachin Corridor without any Azeri interference, in accordance with the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement and the International Court of Justice 22 February 2023 and 6 July rulings,” the center added.

All humanitarian shipments into Nagorno-Karabakh have been banned by Azerbaijan since June 15.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.

Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

An Armenian humanitarian convoy carrying 400 tons of emergency aid is blocked by Azerbaijan at the entrance of Lachin Corridor.

 13:46,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense has again falsely accused the Armenian Armed Forces of opening fire across the border, the Ministry of Defense warned Monday.

“The statement disseminated by the MoD of Azerbaijan that allegedly on August 21, between 10:25 a.m and 10:30 a.m., the units of the Armenian Armed Forces fired against the Azerbaijani combat outposts located in the eastern part of the border, does not correspond to reality,” the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Facebook.

 15:09,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Foreign Ministry has released details about the upcoming visit of Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions Hadja Lahbib.

“On August 22, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions of the Kingdom of Belgium Hadja Lahbib will pay an official visit to Armenia. The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Belgium will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, and it will be followed by a joint press conference. In the framework of the visit the Foreign Minister of Belgium will also have meetings with the Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly of Armenia,” foreign ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan said in a statement on social media.

 16:01,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. The first Armenian cross-stone (khachkar) in Finland was consecrated and inaugurated on August 19 in Espoo, the second most populous city of the country, as a sign of Armenian-Finnish friendship. The monument is located in the yard of St. Herman Church.

The cross-stone is a replica of one of the many historic cross-stones in Old Jugha which were infamously destroyed by Azerbaijani authorities.

Grigori Yeghiazaryan, the Vice President of the Armenian community in Finland, told ARMENPRESS that the inauguration of the cross-stone is of great significance for the entire community. “From now on the cross-stone will become a monument uniting the community, and also connecting us with Armenia,” he said.

 15:51,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan will host the Armenian-Korean Economic Cooperation Conference on 14 September to promote and expand economic ties between Armenia and South Korea, the Ministry of Economy announced Monday.

The event is organized jointly by the Armenian Ministry of Economy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).

Registration for participation is open online.