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"As the queue reached me, the bread had already run out. I bought watermelon to eat instead of bread" [Blockade from the inside]

"As the queue reached me, the bread had already run out. I bought watermelon to eat instead of bread" [Blockade from the inside]

Anna Manasyan in the photo Anna Manasyan, a 21-year-old resident of Martuni, Artsakh, has been unable to return home for three weeks. Currently, there is no public transport available in Artsakh, due to the lack of fuel, she has been stranded in Stepanakert. However, at least she has a job and, for now, a place to stay in Stepanakert. "It's really bad," Anna says, and a moment of silence follows on both sides of the phone. Today, Anna waited in line for an hour to buy bread but, unfortunately, was left with nothing in the end. "It's hard to put into words, the situation in the city is terrible, really bad, there's nothing left. Today, I stood in line for an hour, and when my turn finally came, the bread had already run out. They hand out numbers up to 200 written on papers. You wait for so long and the queue can reach number 100 and the bread might already be sold out by then. Now, they even give people dough for the bread they couldn't manage to bake so that at least people can bake at home," says Anna, who was told to go for bread again at 3 p.m., but she finds it extremely challenging to walk as the bakery is located far away from her current location. "There was no bread, so I bought a watermelon to eat instead of bread. At least it's sweet," says Anna without any additional tragedy in her tone. If, by any chance, they come across a car with fuel, Anna's mother sends some vegetables from Martuni, and they share everything they have with her roommates. Anna adss that at least people have gardens in villages, from which they manage to get a small harvest. Otherwise, there is almost nothing left in Stepanakert.  "In Martuni, at least everyone has their own garden, and if someone doesn't have something, others pass on their harvest to help. Maybe someone has flour, and they bake bread and share it with others. However, in Stepanakert, with its large population, there is nothing left. The city is lacking vegetables, and the situation is dire. If someone from the villages manages to find a "Pazik" car (a type of Soviet bus) and brings a box of tomatoes, it will be gone in half an hour; there are so many people, and it won't reach everyone," Anna explains. Today, in the bread queue, Anna witnessed a particularly poignant episode. She shares that there were two women, one slightly older and the other younger, with children. Anna shares the emotional encounter, saying, "The woman was saying, 'If I can buy at least a loaf of bread, I'll take it home and divide it so that the children can at least have something to eat.' The other woman responds, 'How about you?' to which the first woman replies that she hasn't eaten bread for two days. 'I share bread, so that the children can eat twice,'" Anna adds, expressing how deeply upset she was witnessing this conversation. One day, Anna and her friend were uncertain about what they could eat for that day, however, they found a pizza dough in one of the shops. "We placed the dough in the oven and warmed it up slightly, so we could eat it as if it were bread. There is no meat, there are no other products. Whatever is left, is very little, people are left with barely enough to sustain themselves for 10-15 days in their homes. Nowadays, many shops have already closed, and there is not even a café to take the children and eat something," Anna shares. She adds that as adults, they try to take it easier, but it's heart-wrenching that the children's desires cannot be fulfilled, and the parents are unable to find what the kids need. The most essential medicines have already been depleted. Yesterday, Anna's friend finally found a car to go to the village. She had to take her grandmother's blood pressure medications with her, but unfortunately, they couldn't find it anywhere in the city despite searching extensively. "There are very few medicines left, and the daily medications that elderly people require are no longer available." Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia - the Lachin corridor. On April 23, 2023, the Azerbaijani side blocked the Hakari Bridge on the Artsakhi-Armenian border, an area under the responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the Lachin corridor. This action further exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis. An Azerbaijani checkpoint has been established on the Hakari bridge. Since June 15, Azerbaijan has imposed a complete ban on all humanitarian transportation along the Lachin corridor. After that, the ICRC was only able to transport patients from Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia on a few occasions.  On July 29, Azerbaijan abducted a 68-year-old citizen, who was being transferred to Armenia with the mediation of the ICRC for treatment, at a checkpoint near the Hakari bridge and transported him to an unknown location. On August 1, Azerbaijani servicemen abducted another citizen who was attempting to travel on foot from the Artsakh village of Hin Shen to Armenia. As of now, his whereabouts remain unknown.   Essential food and medicines are almost completely depleted in Artsakh. The coupons issued months ago for purchasing products have become worthless, given the emptiness of the stores. People go out only to buy bread. Artsakh has run out of fuel, resulting in the complete halt of public transport. Private cars rarely operate due to the scarcity of fuel. Gas supply experiences periodic interruptions, there are frequent power outages. A total of 120 thousand people, including 30 thousand children, are currently under a complete blockade in Artsakh.   Photos are provided by Anna Manasyan  Hayarpi Baghdasaryan
22:40 - 02 August, 2023
"Whenever we have candy, we divide it into five parts so that everyone gets a share." [Blockade from the inside]

"Whenever we have candy, we divide it into five parts so that everyone gets a share." [Blockade from the inside]

Due to the 44-day war, the village of Taghavard in the Martuni region of Artsakh got divided, with Azerbaijanis occupying various positions along the border passing through the village. Despite the unabated sounds of gunshots, the residents continue to live in Taghavard as it is their home. They cultivate the land in front of the enemy, not knowing whether the next bullet, whistling through the air, will find them or not. Despite the challenging and perilous circumstances, 23-year-old Mary Alaverdyan cannot help but long for her village. It has been two weeks since she could not return home from Stepanakert because, on the other hand, the blockade reveals its cruel and inhumane nature. I'll write "blockade", you can comprehend the various words associated with it. Mary works in Stepanakert, but due to the lack of fuel and non-operational transportation, finding a car to visit the village has become impossible. On the contrary, while everyone in the village has their own garden and collects a certain amount of harvest, there is hardly any food left in the city. The shops are completely empty, with nothing left to buy. The only remaining food items are potatoes, occasional eggs, and pumpkins. People now only leave their homes to buy bread, but unfortunately, there is not enough bread being baked to meet everyone's needs. Previously, it was possible to bring crops from the villages, but now it is not happening due to the lack of fuel. There are no dairy products left at all," Mary says, noting that the situation in bread queues is worsening, and the lack of cars makes it challenging for people to access bakeries. The situation in the villages is relatively less difficult because people can manage to obtain bread and make better use of the harvest from their gardens. Mary Alaverdyan "Even the coffee is about to run out," Mary says with a gentle smile that can be felt through the phone. "Whenever we have some candy, we divide it into five parts to ensure everyone gets a share," she says. According to Mary, in the evenings, while walking around Stepanakert, they see many people carrying children in their arms. This sight gives them hope to endure till the end and gather the strength needed to overcome this challenging time. She says that there have been numerous wars with countless victims, and considering the people and children living in Artsakh, it would be unfair to simply give up and leave.  Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia - the Lachin corridor. On April 23, 2023, the Azerbaijani side blocked the Hakari Bridge on the Artsakhi-Armenian border, an area under the responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the Lachin corridor. This action further exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis. An Azerbaijani checkpoint has been established on the Hakari bridge. Since June 15, Azerbaijan has imposed a complete ban on all humanitarian transportation along the Lachin corridor. After that, the ICRC was only able to transport patients from Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia on a few occasions. On July 29, Azerbaijan abducted a 68-year-old citizen, who was being transferred to Armenia with the mediation of the ICRC for treatment, at a checkpoint near the Hakari bridge and transported him to an unknown location. On August 1, Azerbaijani servicemen abducted another citizen who was attempting to travel on foot from the Artsakh village of Hin Shen to Armenia. As of now, his whereabouts remain unknown.   Essential food and medicines are almost completely depleted in Artsakh. The coupons issued months ago for purchasing products have become worthless, given the emptiness of the stores. People go out only to buy bread. Artsakh has run out of fuel, resulting in the complete halt of public transport. Private cars rarely operate due to the scarcity of fuel. Gas supply experiences periodic interruptions, there are frequent power outages. A total of 120 thousand people, including 30 thousand children, are currently under a complete blockade in Artsakh.   Photos are provided by Mary Alaverdyan  Hayarpi Baghdasaryan
20:44 - 02 August, 2023
When the smallest thing starts to mean something significant: The everyday life of separated Melkumyan sisters in blockaded Artsakh

When the smallest thing starts to mean something significant: The everyday life of separated Melkumyan sisters in blockaded Artsakh

For about 7 months or 231 days or 5544 hours, the Melkumyan family, residents of Mokhratagh village, Martakert region, Republic of Artsakh, has been separated. Because of the illegal closure of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, 17-year-old Nare lives with her mother, Narine, and grandfather, Albert, in Mokhratagh, and her sister, 19-year-old Mane lives in Yerevan (where she moved to study) with her father, Aram. 7 months or 231 days or 5544 hours. I repeat, trying to imagine what kind of test it is for a person who has lived his whole conscious and unconscious life in the same family, under the same roof, under the same sky. Astghik Keshishyan, my long-time friend, a journalist, and now Nare's teacher of Armenian language and literature, is also facing the same problem. More precisely, a "former" teacher, as she moved to Mokhratagh with the two-year "Teach Armenia" program. The term of the program has ended, but not the problems. For almost 2 months, Astghik has not been able to return home. In the midst of helplessness and despair, together we tried to find the strength to tell about the people left here and there in the corridor due to the blockade, their daily life, and their feelings. So we decided to start with the family of her student. She's there in Mokhratagh, I am here in Yerevan. For the first time, the family celebrated the New Year separated Nare that lives in Mokhratagh, says that on December 12, when she learned about the closure of the road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, she did not think that it would last so long, and assumed it would be over in 3-4 days. "At the beginning of the blockade, I wasn't so desperate, because I still didn't have a general idea about all this, but in the meantime, I realized that we don't have the opportunities that the children have elsewhere, even in Armenia." Nare Melkumyan Her sister Mane, who moved to Yerevan to study, had the same hope, considering that the Azerbaijanis had closed and opened the road before that. "It kept getting longer all the time, and I couldn't have imagined that I would celebrate the New Year in Yerevan. Since it was already the holidays, and I thought I would go to my relatives, I bought Christmas gifts for everyone", tells Mane, adding that she's kept the gifts wrapped until now, hoping that she returns home and finally gives them." The Christmas presents   According to the sisters, it was the first time that their family celebrated the New Year separated.  "It was terribly sad. We celebrated it online, somehow trying to complete each other through online communication, but it's not what it should be... My mother also sometimes gets very discouraged, I try to calm her because when I see that she is down, I get even more down. We comfort each other, trying to give optimism to each other," says Nare from Artsakh, adding that the longing is already suffocating, because they are a very affectionate, a very good family, and being separated is very difficult. The siege taught me to value my relatives even more Nare, who's in the 12th grade, tells that a lot has changed for her during these 7 months.  "I started to think more about life, how different people's lives can be, how much things can change, how the tiniest thing can start to seem significant to us, and we can become happy from the smallest thing. For example, in the beginning, when they wouldn't bring fruits yet, one of the teachers sent mandarins with mom, and I wanted to jump like a little child, or even some Kinder, which I love very much, they bought it for me, I became happy. Before the blockade it was normal, we were not happy about it, now everything is of great value to us." Mane too feels such changes in her life. She is a student of the Yerevan State Medical University and had moved to Yerevan months before the siege. Initially, she lived alone, but in December her father came on business, and when the Azerbaijanis closed the road, she stayed with her daughter. "At first I was very calm, I didn't take it very hard that I live alone, because I knew that I can always go to my homeland or my family members can visit me, but then, when I realized I can't, it started to get more and more difficult because of the longing. I constantly talk to my relatives, and I like to make videos with our old pictures and videos. I watch them all the time in hopes to see them again." Mane Melkumyan   However, according to Mane, the blockade also taught certain lessons. "Perhaps the only good thing during this time is that we started to value our relatives more, to love more, say about it more, miss, and wait because before that we were maybe a little less emotional, we didn't often say it, but now we emphasize it more." The older sister says that she and her father support their mother and sister, and they support them back."We try to support each other, but my sister and mother probably take it harder, cause they are more sensitive, I try to be stronger, to give them hope," says Mane, reminding that hope dies only in the end. It's the hope that keeps them alive. "My father is also trying to be stronger, mostly he is silent, he doesn't say anything, he doesn't even talk about the war, but, of course, he feels a lot of pain, seeing all this, but as a man, he tries to be by our side." First question: what did you eat today? Mane talks to her family on a daily basis, and the first thing she asks is what they ate today. "Sugar, salt, flour, you can't buy all that in the village, or they are available at such prices that it is difficult to get them... In terms of harvest, although this year was not so good because the seasons were not good, the people of the village have the opportunity to create and grow their own crops, cause it is more difficult in the city." Nare with her grandfather Albert Nare says that in the beginning of the siege when they still had food coming to the village, they could buy things with coupons and live on them, but now no goods are coming at all, and the situation in the village is bad. "Recently, they only bring watermelons and similar things, but there is no product that you can buy, not even in the village, nor in Stepanakert. Though I haven't gone to bed hungry yet, we still manage to live as a family, but I'm a big sweet tooth, maybe I'm missing sweets when browsing Instagram, I constantly see cake or sweets that we don't have here, and that I want a lot, but there is none. We try to bake something at home." Nare's friends help her to get distracted from all this. "I spend time with my friends, we organize some things in the village, we go out, it motivates, and at that moment you start to forget what is happening around you, I just try to be happy with them, to break away from reality." Nare's pictures As for her part, Mane tries not to panic, not to cry too much, but she says she couldn't hold her emotions back on her birthday as for the first time she was without her mother and sister. "My father had to work and I was going to be alone. Everyone said I should go somewhere with my friends and celebrate it, but I said "No, I won't celebrate it." My relatives living in Yerevan made a surprise, they came that day so that it wouldn't be so hard, but it wasn't that same anyway, because it was hard without my mother, my sister, and my homeland."  The biggest dream - peace Mane says that when she moved in September, the first thing she started to miss was her village and her homeland. "I was constantly talking to my relatives, and I didn't miss it that much, but I missed my homeland, my village the most, I always wanted to see its nature, our home... Yes, I miss my homeland the most." According to Mane, the situation of Armenians in Artsakh is so bad now that it is not okay for Armenians to be indifferent to it. "I want all of us not to be indifferent to our motherland, because all this that is happening in Artsakh may happen in Armenia one day, and that is much worse, we need to be a little more vigilant, love our homeland a little more, and not just love with toasts, but invest a small part of ourselves in our homeland, and then maybe something will change", says Mane, reminding the periods of the history and hoping that if now it's bad, maybe a time will come when everything will be fine and everyone will be happy. Mane's desk The question about the biggest dream does not take long to think about. Independently, far from each other, the sisters mention the same dream with the same words. "Peace is needed not only in Artsakh, but also in Armenia, and in general, in the whole world. If there is peace, everything else will happen over time," says Nare. Mane adds: "We need peace all over the world, if possible." If the road opens one day Nare says that if she suddenly reads the news that the road has been opened, she will probably not believe it at first. "It has become a kind of unbelievable news for all of us, but after checking, I will collect a couple of clothes, and finally we will go to Yerevan." Mane, in turn, plans to return to her native village. "I know that I won't be able to stay for a very long time because I am studying in Yerevan, but it is very important for me to see everything for at least 1-2 days because, after the war, there is a constant fear in me that I may not see my home, my homeland, just as now we cannot see a part of our homeland." Future plans related to Artsakh Nare will finish school this year․ She wants to become a designer, for which she started attending classes. However, it has great difficulties. "On the first day, I was thinking a lot about how I should get to Martakert and then go to Stepanakert from there. Somehow we managed to find a person who was going to Martakert, I went with him, and I went to Martakert with him several more times, as well as by bus, but the question of coming back was very difficult because there were no taxis, I mean, there were, but they wouldn't come to the village, as they worked in the city because of the lack of the fuel. I went like that for a month, sometimes I stayed in Stepanakert, in order not to have to go all the time. For a week, I haven't been going as I'm trying to continue training online, but during the day, especially when there are power outages, I get very upset, that darkness brings a kind of sadness, and I start to think more about the situation, more despairing thoughts come," says Nare, half-joking, and half-serious at the same time, adding that when they light a lamp or a candle, the evening becomes romantic. According to her, the blockade has no other positive side. During the power outage Nare was not motivated at first, but she says that she tried to pull herself together, to think that what she is doing is for her future, and the plans for that future are related to Artsakh. "To study and become a designer is in my plans. Of course, I know that I won't be able to study here, because there is no opportunity to get good knowledge here, and the fact that my father and sister are in Yerevan is an excuse for me to study there too... But I don't want to live there, because this is my home, I grew up here, I will live here, I never wanted to leave it, even when I go to another place for a few weeks, for example, Stepanakert, I feel a great longing for my house," says Nare. While Mane is on vacation, she is trying to find a job in Yerevan, and is engaged in self-education to fill her free time. Apart from that, the youth of Artsakh in Armenia have created an online group called "Kids far from home", they participate in demonstrations and rallies together. Mane says she doesn't know if it will help or not, but she will at least be sure that she did something for her homeland and was not indifferent. "I'm surprised that people say - what are they doing, it won't help anyway. Yes, I agree. There were rallies in December, we participated, the youth of Artsakh organized it, but I realized that it didn't help. Now I can say that it won't help anyways so I'm not doing it. But still there is hope that maybe someone will pay attention." Mane is being honest - after the 44-day war, she thought about living in Yerevan, she thought that the war would start again in Artsakh, but about a year ago, everything changed. Now she wants to live only in Artsakh. "I realized that I want to study in Yerevan, come and go because this is my homeland, and I love Yerevan, I love Armenia, but I imagine my life, my goals, my mission in Artsakh, I imagine that I will become a doctor, I will go to Artsakh because very few people go to Artsakh, and in fact, Artsakh always needs a doctor," says Mane, knowing with certainty that she will be one of those doctors who will live in Artsakh and help their compatriots.   Milena Khachikyan Astghik Keshishyan Photo: the Melkumyan family    
16:35 - 31 July, 2023
Armenians did not prevent international humanitarian organizations from entering Nagorno-Karabakh: The official of the Russian Foreign Ministry is wrong

Armenians did not prevent international humanitarian organizations from entering Nagorno-Karabakh: The official of the Russian Foreign Ministry is wrong

On February 8, Pyotr Ilyichev, Director of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that UN humanitarian agencies "have not yet received the permission of Azerbaijanis and Armenians to enter Nagorno-Karabakh, even for the purpose of carrying out a primary needs assessment mission." After this announcement, Infocom sent a request to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, asking them to answer the following questions. Has RA banned the entry of any UN agency, structure, or program (whether humanitarian or other) into Nagorno-Karabakh? If so, which UN structure, agency, and/or program are we talking about, as well as what was the reason for not allowing it to enter NK? If not, why don't such structures or agencies have access to NK? What is Armenia's position regarding the entry of UN humanitarian structures, agencies, and programs into NK? The RA MFA answered all these questions in one paragraph, denying that there was any such ban by RA. "Armenia did not prevent international humanitarian organizations from entering Nagorno Karabakh. On the contrary, Armenia has always announced the need for international humanitarian organizations to enter Nagorno-Karabakh and operate unhindered in order to assess the situation on the ground and carry out appropriate actions." We also inquired from the MFA whether RA applied to the UN World Food Program or any other UN humanitarian structure, or agency with a request to visit Nagorno-Karabakh. The MFA gave the same answer to this question as the MFA spokesman Vahan Hunanyan did a month ago. "As in the post-war period, as well as in 2022, since Azerbaijan blocked the Lachin Corridor on December 12, the RA Foreign Ministry and the relevant state departments have been in constant contact with various international organizations to address the problems arising from the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh." Thus, the Republic of Armenia denies that it prevented international humanitarian organizations from entering Nagorno-Karabakh. And the fact that Azerbaijan created such obstacles is a well-known fact. Both the Armenian side and the UN have talked about it.      
17:29 - 15 February, 2023
Nikol Pashinyan's staff denies Sergey Lavrov's claim: There is no agreement on the nature of cargo transported through the Lachine Corridor

Nikol Pashinyan's staff denies Sergey Lavrov's claim: There is no agreement on the nature of cargo transported through the Lachine Corridor

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, there is a separate agreement that military cargo should not be transported through the Lachin Corridor. However, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's office denies the existence of such an arrangement. During the press conference on January 18, 2023, Sergey Lavrov announced the following. "Yesterday I spoke with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan. Lachin Corridor, according to the agreements reached by the leaders of the three countries in 2020. on November 9, should be open for the movement of goods, civilians, and vehicles in both directions. It is clear that a separate agreement was reached there that no military cargo should pass that way." In the tripartite statement of November 9, however, there is nothing about military cargo. Point 6 of the statement only states the following: "The Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees the safety of movement of citizens, vehicles, and cargo in both directions through the Lachin Corridor." Considering this fact, we sent a request to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's staff, asking them to clarify the following questions: Has Armenia reached a written or verbal agreement with Azerbaijan or any other state that military cargo should not be transported through the Lachin Corridor? If so, with which state/states was this agreement reached? If the agreement is in process, what document was signed? In response to our inquiry, the Prime Minister's Office stated the following: "The text of the tripartite declaration of November 9 is fully published, and the regime of the Lachin Corridor is regulated according to Clause 6 of the Declaration. There is no other agreement on the Lachin Corridor." Thus, the Armenian government claims that no such agreement was reached, according to which no military cargo should be transported through the Lachin Corridor. A few days ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh issued a statement, which stated that in the tripartite declaration, there is no restriction on the transportation of goods according to their nature, purpose, or application. "Azerbaijan has only one obligation towards the Lachin Corridor: not to obstruct the movement in any way," the statement read. The Artsakh MFA also stressed that recently the Azerbaijani authorities often arbitrarily interpret the 6th point of the tripartite statement of November 9, regarding the activities of the Lachin Corridor. It should be reminded that during the same press conference, Lavrov announced that the Azerbaijanis gave them information that the Armenian side moved mines through the Lachin corridor, and then they were used to mine the areas near the Azerbaijani positions. According to Lavrov, the Russian side is checking these data. Earlier, the Azerbaijani side made accusations against Armenia that "Armenia uses the Lachin Corridor for non-humanitarian purposes, which is prohibited." Azerbaijan allegedly discovered mines produced in Armenia in 2021 on its territory. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia responded to this statement, stating that these mines appeared in Azerbaijan from the territories of Armenia, which were occupied in 2021-2022. As a result of the aggression against RA. Thus, Azerbaijan declares that Armenia "transported mines through the Lachin Corridor, used them for non-humanitarian purposes, which is prohibited." Sergey Lavrov claims that there is an agreement that military cargo should not be transported through the Lachin Corridor. Meanwhile, the Armenian government denies that there is such an agreement and refers to the statement of November 9. And in this statement, let's remind, nothing is mentioned about the nature of the cargo being transported. As for transporting mines through the Lachin Corridor, it is false information spread by the Azerbaijani side, and the Armenian Foreign Ministry has already denied that news. Photo: RA Prime Minister's Office (2021) Anna Sahakyan
15:45 - 07 February, 2023
Another organization participating in the "environmental actions" is related to the authorities of Azerbaijan

Another organization participating in the "environmental actions" is related to the authorities of Azerbaijan

It is already the 10th day that Azerbaijani "environmentalists" continue their "action" in the Lachin corridor. Artsakh's connection with Armenia has been cut, there is a shortage of some products in Artsakh, and the people of Artsakh in the Republic of Armenia cannot return home. A few days ago, we referred to the "Regional Development" NGO participating in "environmental actions", which is affiliated with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Now we will tell about the "Union of Voluntary Organizations of Azerbaijan", whose volunteers also participate in "environmental actions". Union volunteers are wearing blue jackets (photo by Trend) This union was established in 2020, as they say, "in order to increase the effectiveness of volunteering in Azerbaijan." It is clear from the Union's publications, the contents of the implemented events, and the notes of some members that it has a pro-government position. The president of the union is Yusif Valiev, who is the head of the department of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan and actively participates in the "actions" held in the corridor of Lachin. The board of directors includes Elnur Kalantarov, who is the former head of the public relations department of the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan. One of the members of the union is Bakhtiar Ragimov, from whose Facebook page it immediately becomes clear that he is a supporter of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Yusif Valiev during the "environmental action" One of the programs implemented by the Union is called "Returning volunteers". Speaking about the project, the union states that "their army under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev won the Patriotic War, and their lands were returned." The goal of the program is "to support volunteer activities in territories liberated from occupation". Like the "Regional Development" NGO, the "Union of Voluntary Organizations of Azerbaijan" also has a special attitude towards the former president of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev. Union volunteers pay tribute to the memory of Heydar Aliyev and visit the Heydar Aliyev Center. And the current president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, called on the participants of the 5th solidarity forum of Azerbaijani volunteers this year. This forum was held within the framework of the "Volunteer Week of Azerbaijan 2022", which was organized by the "Union of Voluntary Organizations of Azerbaijan". The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan supported the organization of the volunteer week. Within the framework of the same event, the volunteers visited Azerbaijan's "Military Trophy Park", where they raised the following calls: "Karabakh is Azerbaijan", and "Long live the Commander-in-Chief". By the way, another organization participating in the "environmental actions" is connected to the authorities of Azerbaijan. The main photo is from the Facebook page of the "Union of Voluntary Organizations of Azerbaijan"  Anna Sahakyan
18:58 - 21 December, 2022
Arayik Harutyunyan did not say that 35 thousand Armenians lived in Artsakh in 2021։ The Azerbaijani diplomat is spreading disinformation

Arayik Harutyunyan did not say that 35 thousand Armenians lived in Artsakh in 2021։ The Azerbaijani diplomat is spreading disinformation

Chairman of the Council of the Center for the Analysis of International Relations of Azerbaijan, former ambassador of Azerbaijan to Canada and the Czech Republic, Farid Shafiyev, tweeted yesterday, writing: "According to a leader of Karabakh Armenians, in 2021 35,000 Armenians lived in Karabakh." By "the leader of the Armenians of Karabakh", the Azerbaijani diplomat means the President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan. Shafiyev also published a screenshot from the transcript of Araik Harutyunyan's speech, where he underligned  Harutyunyan's direct speech. "How do you imagine solving the social and household problems of 35.000 citizens without cooperation with Armenia?" Because of such problems, we have deprived tens of thousands of our citizens of Martakert and Shahumyan from the opportunity to live in our country." This screenshot is from armeniasputnik.am's June 22, 2021 publication. The quote is from the speech of the President of Artsakh in Renaissance Square (you can listen to the full speech here). During the speech, in the context of the relations with the Armenian authorities, Harutyunyan did talk about solving the social and household problems of 35․000 citizens, but his speech does not refer to all residents of the Artsakh Republic as of 2021. After the 44-day war, when some territories of Artsakh came under the control of Azerbaijan, the inhabitants of those territories were displaced from their homes. In November 2020, the RA government approved a measure to support citizens registered in the communities that came under the control of Azerbaijan. At that time, the government announced that according to the preliminary assessment, 30-35 thousand Artsakh citizens will receive 300․000 drams each under this program. During one of the sessions of the National Assembly of Artsakh in February 2021, the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, and Migration of Artsakh, Mane Tandilyan, spoke about the support of 300․000 drams for 35 thousand displaced people. Thus, we see that Arayik Harutyunyan, speaking about the solution of the social and household problems of 35.000 citizens, meant the displaced Artsakh residents from the settlements that came under the control of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani diplomat is spreading an obvious lie, saying that according to Arayik Harutyunyan, 35 thousand of Armenians lived in Artsakh in 2021. According to the latest data, 120.000 Armenians live in the Republic of Artsakh, and this is despite the fact that not all Artsakh citizens displaced after the war have returned there. Main photo - Farid Shafiyev Anna Sahakyan
16:31 - 20 December, 2022
Can the UN World Food Program deliver food to blocked Artsakh?

Can the UN World Food Program deliver food to blocked Artsakh?

It is already the ninth day that Azerbaijan has blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia. On December 12, a group of Azerbaijanis closed the Shushi-Karin section of the Stepanakert-Goris highway for environmental reasons. Hundreds of citizens, including minors, cannot return home. The transport connection of the villages Lisagor, Mets Shen, Hin Shen, and Yeghtsahogh of the Shushi region with the capital of Artsakh, Stepanakert, has been interrupted. Although famine has not started in Artsakh, there is a shortage of some products, such as potatoes, dairy products, and baby food. In addition, it is not clear how long the road will remain closed and how long Artsakh can withstand the blockade. What is the World Food Program? Hakob Chagharyan, the former adviser to the RA Prime Minister, made a Facebook post two days ago, noting that the World Food Program of the United Nations (UN) provides food to people like those in Artsakh. The World Food Program provides food to people in areas that have food problems due to war, conflict, climate change, or other reasons, and where hunger prevails. "60 percent of the world's hungry live in conflict-affected zones, which is the root cause of 8 of the 10 worst hunger crises (such as Yemen, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Syria)," it's mentioned on the website of the organization. The website of the World Food Program (hereinafter WFP) states that WFP supplies vital food to people trapped or displaced by military operations, wherever they are. "With the help of local partners, we reach those in need even in the most remote areas, using all-terrain vehicles and dropping food from airplanes when all other routes are closed." Hakob Chagharyan noted in his post: "In case of the hourly threat of encirclement of Artsakh in Armenia, an aircraft or aircraft working under the auspices of the United Nations should be on duty at all times." WFP collaborates with governments The main partners of WFP are governments. The organization says it can provide food aid and, in some cases, technical and logistical services, but its projects always require the full support and involvement of governments: "Ultimately, it is the national government that should ask the WFP to intervene in emergency situations or development projects, so the work of the Program must be in line with the national picture." And in exceptional circumstances, when, for example, there is a crisis in a country and the authorities have lost control over their territory, WFP can provide assistance without the invitation of the government, at the special request of the UN Secretary-General. There are also well-known cases when the governments themselves turned to WFP for support. The Egyptian government, for example, turned to the organization to support Syrian refugees with food. The Turkish government also applied to the program to support the Syrian refugees.  The experience with Armenia and Azerbaijan In a conversation with Infocom, Hakob Chagharyan mentioned that an alarm should go to the WFP about the situation in Artsakh. According to him, the applicant can be Artsakh or another government, for example, the RA government. "My hopes that Armenia will apply are very low," says Hakob Chagharyan. According to him, he is currently holding discussions with the authorities of Artsakh in order to obtain the authority to apply to the United Nations on behalf of the government of Artsakh. WFP has representative offices in many countries, including Armenia. After the 44-day war, the structure provided support to the people who moved to the Republic of Armenia as a result of the war. It is interesting that in 2020, after the war, the WFP announced that it aims to provide support to "residents affected by the war in the Republic of Azerbaijan". The structure meant the residents of the Republic of Artsakh. In its 2020 publication, WFP noted that "the UN does not have a mandate in the affected region, but is coordinating work with partners to assess needs and support any voluntary return processes to war-affected areas." "The [UN] Emergency Relief Coordinator sent a note to the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UN requesting access to Nagorno Karabakh to conduct a UN assessment of the affected area," WFP noted. The organization also announced that it will work with the government of Azerbaijan to provide access to the population of the affected areas. However, there are no publications on the WFP website about whether this aid has finally reached the people of Artsakh. Can WFP help the blocked Artsakh? To the question of whether in case an application for food aid to Artsakh is sent to WFP, Azerbaijan will allow the aid to arrive, Hakob Chagharyan answers: Azerbaijan cannot refuse to allow it. He remembers that he himself once worked within the framework of that program and delivered aid to Darfur, which is in the west of Sudan, on the border with Chad. In Darfur, a rebellion against the government started years ago because of the treatment of the local non-Arab population (you can read more about the conflict here). Hakob Chagharyan remembers that the president of Sudan, who is not known for his humanism, did not even try to prohibit the provision of assistance to the people of Darfur. "No one goes against the UN. With this, you prove that you commit genocide, and with this, you become a terrorist country. People live there, that's a fact. People need to be fed," says Hakob Tzhagharyan, adding that in the same way, Azerbaijan cannot help reach Artsakh. He does not hope but he is sure that with the appropriate application and the work of the MFA, the case can be solved. Infocom reached out to the Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh to find out if they have reached out to the World Food Program to assist Artsakh if needed. The RA MFA asked to send a written request, the answer to which we will publish as soon as we receive it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan did not comment on the issue, stating that if there is information, they will publish it.   The main photo is from the WFP Facebook page Anna Sahakyan
13:32 - 20 December, 2022
Today, no patient from Artsakh was transferred to Armenia: In the videos that are being shared, most likely, they are the cars returning from Armenia

Today, no patient from Artsakh was transferred to Armenia: In the videos that are being shared, most likely, they are the cars returning from Armenia

Today, a video is shared on Azerbaijani telegram channels, where emergency vehicles are seen moving accompanied by Red Cross vehicles. "An ambulance accompanied by the Red Cross passed through the corridor of Lachin again," it is noted on the channels next to the video. It should be reminded that yesterday a medical patient from Artsakh was transferred to Armenia through the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a video was circulated where emergency aid and ICRC vehicles were seen. Taking into account that a new video has been distributed, Infocom asked the Armenian office of the ICRC to find out if a new patient has been transferred from Artsakh to Yerevan. Zara Amatuni, head of communication programs of the ICRC in Armenia, said that after yesterday, no new patient was transferred from Artsakh to Armenia. If we look carefully at the videos being shared, we will see that the location is the same in both, but in yesterday's video, the emergency aid and ICRC vehicles are moving in the same direction, and in today's video, they are moving in the opposite direction. This is a screenshot from yesterday's video. And this screenshot is from today's video. Comparing the two photos, it becomes clear that this is the same section of the road, and the cars are going in opposite directions. Taking into account that the vehicle registration plates of the three passing cars are the same, we can assume that the cars transported by the medical patient yesterday are returning to Armenia from Armenia through the corridor. Anna Sahakyan
13:16 - 20 December, 2022
Only one patient was transported to Armenia through the Lachin Corridor and only once: The spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is spreading disinformation

Only one patient was transported to Armenia through the Lachin Corridor and only once: The spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is spreading disinformation

The Azerbaijani news agency apa.az published the words of the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Ayhan Hajizadeh regarding the blockade of Artsakh, under the title "MFA - The announcements about the blockade are false, Armenian ambulances pass unhindered along the Lachin road." Hajizade's statement and the headline of the Azerbaijani agency distort the reality.  For already 8 days, Azerbaijanis, posing as "environmentalists", have closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia. 120 thousand people are under blockade in Artsakh, and their relatives who came to RA cannot return home. During these eight days, it has been repeatedly announced that there are humanitarian problems in Artsakh, people with serious health problems cannot receive appropriate medical care, and planned operations have been stopped. And Hajizade stated that "despite the misinformation about the blockade, the vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Armenian ambulances pass unhindered along the Lachin road." With this statement, the spokesperson of the Azerbaijani MFA creates the impression that the passage of ICRC and Armenian military vehicles through the corridor is continuous. However, only today, with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Armenian emergency vehicle was able to pass through the Lachin corridor, transporting from Artsakh to Armenia a man born in 1960, with heart pathology, who needed an urgent operation. Hajizade also stated that "such cases are repeated several times during the day", which is also disinformation. In response to infocom.am's question, Zara Amatuni, the head of communication and prevention programs of the ICRC Armenian office, informed that during this period only one transfer of a patient was carried out with the mediation of the ICRC, and only one patient was transferred. It should also be noted that the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Artsakh reported that the patient was transported to the Republic of Armenia in one ambulance of Artsakh, which was accompanied by the vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping troops and the ICRC. In the shared photo, which is posted with this material, only one ambulance can be clearly seen. Moreover, the "Republican Medical Center" of the Artsakh Ministry of Health reported that 11 patients are in the intensive care unit, and 4 of them are in critical condition. And 10 children are in the reanimation department in the "Arevik medical unit" of Artsakh. Here too, the condition of one of the children is assessed as extremely serious. It was noted that the doctors are doing everything possible to stabilize the condition of the patients and that the doctors of Artsakh are providing the necessary medical care by consulting with RA specialists online. This already means that it was not possible to transfer the children to Armenia due to the blockade. The Azerbaijani news agency wrote that conditions were created for the passage of Armenian military vehicles on the Lachin-Stepanakert road with the mediation of the ICRC. It is said in the article that today ICRC appealed to the Azerbaijani side regarding the transfer of the patient from Stepanakert to Yerevan, and the request was answered immediately, and the transfer was successfully completed. The fact that it is reported that an appeal was addressed to the Azerbaijani side and a response was received, and the road was opened, once again speaks about the fact that the people who blocked the Lachin corridor are directly instructed by the Azerbaijani authorities. In addition, we should note that our partner media revealed that the Azerbaijani "environmentalists" who closed the Lachin Corridor are connected with the Azerbaijani authorities (azatutyun.am, civilnet.am, fip.am, infocom.am). Hayarpi Baghdasaryan
17:10 - 19 December, 2022
I wake up every day with the thought that they might open the road today, I never put the phone down

I wake up every day with the thought that they might open the road today, I never put the phone down

- How are you, Mary? - Fine, how are you? - Fine, What's up? Do you have Internet? - Yes, we are. - Do you have gas? - Gas, yes! Gas too? - Don't you have cold? - No, we have a stove. - Yes, it's good. - Where are you? - We are with Ruzan. - What are you talking alone? Is something wrong? Tatev called his friend Mary from Yerevan, who lives in Taghavard, Martuni region, perhaps the closest village to the Azerbaijanis. Mary does not complain, she says that the situation is calm, "there is no shooting, nothing". There are short pauses between Tatev and Mary's questions and answers, it is a calm conversation, to which Ruzan joins, who could not return home to Stepanakert because of the closure of the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, and is temporarily staying at Tatev's place. Tatev is also from Artsakh, temporarily living in Yerevan for studying. "What's up, Mary?" Ruzan asks. - Not much. - Is it calm in Taghavard? - Yes, it's quiet, what's up on your side, what are you doing? - No idea. We're going to protests, coming back...We don't get what's happening. We're waiting every second. Ruzan came to Yerevan on December 9 with business issues, she was supposed to return to Stepanakert on Sunday, but the road was closed. "To be honest, I thought it would take two or three hours to close, I didn't really take it seriously, I didn't take it seriously from the way they looked, but after four or five hours passed, I already told my friends that no, they won't open it now, it will definitely last a long time. But now I wake up every day with the thought that they might open today, every hour, every minute, I don't put the phone down, I'm constantly looking, I'm waiting," says Ruzan. Ruzan Hovhannisyan His 15-year-old daughter, parents, sister, and brother stayed in Stepanakert, during the blockade. "By the way," says Ruzan, "my daughter is very strong." She called me, I said, "What's up, what are you doing?" She said, "I'm taking photos in the city," and she sent the photos to me. She attends Tumo, and soon will go to class again on Monday, she is getting ready for the exam," Ruzan tells about her daughter's daily life in Stepanakert and says that she has a Russian education, but especially after the war she is very interested in national music and literature and told her mother to take books with her when leaving Yerevan. "They are trying to give me hope, they say it's normal, we are strong, we do this, we do that, we bake a cake, etc., but I don't know. again... Today, my sister already said, "I can't do anything, I don't want to do anything at home." But that general spirit is not for losing, I'm sure, my acquaintances, my close relatives are not like that, they always think that we should live there, my parents think if they leave our house, where should they go? I don't know. Even my daughter, who before the war of 2020 was saying, "What is the future here?", after the war says "I don't want to go anywhere from here." I don't interrupt Ruzan with questions, she calmly continues. "Actually, it is the dream of all of us to be a part of Armenia. I am speaking on behalf of myself, my relatives, and my friends. I don't know, no, it's very difficult. It's true, if I was there, it would be easier for me. This has become a pattern for me, let's say the war started on September 27, I was here, it started on September 13, I was here, it's true, I went back every time on the same day, but this time I couldn't. I say, isn't there a way to get there, even on foot... For me, this is the worst, that I can't go to my family." The appeals of international structures and countries do not bother Ruzan either, he says: "I don't care, I completely don't care. I want my Artsakh to live calmly, to live normally", and here her voice begins to tremble. "I want my child to live there normally, to grow up there, to study there, so that, I don't know, he won't see what I saw in my childhood. In other words, he already saw, that was the fear of my whole life. In the nineties, I was the same age as he is now, a little younger. But all my life, that fear was hidden in me that suddenly my child would see that. Now I don't know who will be there, whether it will be Russian or some international structure, but that question of borderline ... It seems to me that the coexistence of Turks and Armenians in the next hundred years is impossible because those wounds are so fresh, they are so strong that... I lost a lot of friends, even in the nineties, a child of my age, with whom I played every day in the yard, died in front of my eyes from that bombing. How can I forget that? I haven't forgotten it to this day. It's fresher now...” Ruzan is worried about the reports spread by the Azerbaijani side that the Armenian side opened fire in the direction of their positions. He says that it has been twenty, or thirty years, since such information has been circulating, so they are going to shoot. "But there's one thing, you still try to put it out [of your mind] and always think that it can be good in any case, is there still light at the end, at the end of the tunnel?" she asks himself. Tatev, who is studying psychology, met Ruzan while volunteering in moral and psychological camps organized by the latter for the children of war-affected families in Artsakh. He says that when Ruzan comes to Yerevan from Artsakh, they always meet, they have become so close. This time they knew that he was in Yerevan, and when they found out about the road closure, they immediately contacted him. Tatev Hakobyan Tatev lives in Yerevan because for her studies, and almost all her relatives live in Stepanakert, blocked. Very often it is not possible to get in touch with them, cause there are Internet failures. "For a moment we thought: that's it, they won't let us go, we'll be alone, but it's better to be there, with them, without them our life will have no meaning, I won't be able to live when I lose my relatives." When I heard [about the road closure], I thought life was over... As soon as the road opens, I will definitely go to Artsakh on the first day. It's very difficult that you can't imagine what they are in, and that you are far away, you feel a little bad that you can't help them with anything. We can't say encouraging words, because our eyes are filled with tears, we talk very little, and we ask, "How are you, are you okay, aren't you cold?" Tatev hopes that such provocations of the enemy will disappear soon, and the situation will improve, although she says, everyone knew that such things could happen. "Because Azerbaijanis are such a nation that they constantly try to subject us to provocations. We were not surprised at all. But we are always standing still, always united." Today, a careless fog hung over Yerevan. Ruzan is worried: "I take the child with me to the demonstration, they get cold." She and Tatev accompany us with their looks until the elevator doors close. It's been six days, and after "Good luck, stay well", they add "May the road open soon". Hayarpi Baghdasaryan  
19:42 - 17 December, 2022
Another Azerbaijani organization participating in "environmental actions" is affiliated with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation

Another Azerbaijani organization participating in "environmental actions" is affiliated with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation

In recent days, our partner media revealed that the Azerbaijani "environmentalists" who closed the Lachin Corridor are connected with the Azerbaijani authorities (azatutyun.am, civilnet.am, fip.am). These days, many photos and videos are being published in Azerbaijan of actions that are presented as peaceful, but which actually separated Artsakh from Armenia and caused a number of humanitarian problems in Artsakh. Azerbaijani Trend agency published a photo series yesterday. Agency photos show a group of people participating in the action wearing identical blue jackets with inscriptions in Azerbaijani: Regional İnkişaf İctimai Birliyi and RIIB: Photo from Trend Regional İnkişaf İctimai Birliyi or "Regional Development" NGO is an Azerbaijani NGO. The website of the NGO states that it was created on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. "Regional Development" notes that the main goal of the NGO is to actively participate in the socio-economic, public, and cultural life of Azerbaijan, the formation of civil society, and the support of the steps taken by the state in the development of regions. The website of the NGO also mentions the steps it takes to achieve its goals. Protection of nature and the environment is also among those steps. The organization published photos from the "environmental actions" held in Lachin two days ago on its social networks, noting that "from the first minutes, a group of their employees and volunteers from different regions joined the action." Those volunteers and employees can be seen in Trend's photos. Photo published by the NGO It should be noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, on the initiative of which the NGO "Regional Development" was established, was established in memory of the former president of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev. The president of the foundation is Mehriban Aliyeva, the first lady of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev's photo and quotes from him are in some of the Facebook background pictures of the "Spatial Development" NGO. The NGO also makes publications about the former president of Azerbaijan (1, 2), participates in the organization of the competition named after him, and at their public events a poster with the photo of the current president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev can be seen. One of the events carried out by the "Regional Development" NGO was co-financed by the Government of Azerbaijan. The NGO also has publications about the current president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. On the Facebook page of the organization, for example, photos from the visit of Ilham Aliyev and his wife to occupied Shushi were shared. And at the moment, on the Facebook background of the "Regional Development" NGO, it's written, "Karabakh is Azerbaijan." Thus, a group of Azerbaijanis who closed the Lachin Corridor for "environmental purposes" are from the "Regional Development" NGO, which was founded by the initiative of the foundation established in memory of the former president of Azerbaijan, which is affiliated with the Azerbaijani authorities. It should be reminded that it is already the sixth day that Azerbaijan continues to block the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia. On December 12, at 10:30 a.m., a group of Azerbaijanis closed the Shushi-Karin section of the Stepanakert-Goris highway for environmental reasons. Hundreds of citizens, including minors, cannot return home. The transport connection of Lisagor, Mets Shen, Hin Shen, and Yegtsahogh villages of the Shushi region with the capital Stepanakert is interrupted. Since December 13, Azerbaijan also interrupted the gas supply of the Republic of Artsakh, but yesterday the gas supply was restored. Anna Sahakyan
14:26 - 17 December, 2022
Daddy says "Don't be afraid, everything will be fine"։ Children from Artsakh who remained in Goris are waiting for good news

Daddy says "Don't be afraid, everything will be fine"։ Children from Artsakh who remained in Goris are waiting for good news

Compassion: this is a word, the sensual layers of which are most visibly revealed during these five days. Or not at all. It may not be easy to feel the people who are miles away, surrounded by an inch of land, when there is an opportunity to choose the best bread, when the Internet does not freeze, and when you don't think whether you will get through the winter with the existing wood or not. I repeat and ask you to read slowly, word by word, close your eyes, and try to imagine people, one by one. Azerbaijanis closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia. 120.000 people have been under blockade for five days. 1.100 people, including more than 270 children, cannot return home. I meet 4 of these 270 children in one of the hotels in Goris. 10-year-old Greta, her sister, 8-year-old Angelina, 9-year-old Asya, and 8-year-old Tatev are playing dominoes at the table in the hallway. I ask them to teach me too, and they start to explain without giving each other a turn: this can stick to this, this can stick to this, and we start playing together. These girls did not know each other until they were forced to stay in a hotel due to the blockade, although they all live in Stepanakert. During these last four days, they became friends, and agreed that when they go back, they will definitely remain friends. I suggest that they exchange numbers right now, and find each other on Facebook, so that they don't suddenly lose each other. From left to right: Asya, Greta, Tatev, Angelina The children say that they were not afraid when they learned about the closure of the road. Only little Angelina admits that she was a little scared. Then Tatev continue, saying that they were a little worried about how they would go, but they were not afraid of the Azerbaijanis. Tatev went to embroidery lessons in Stepanakert, this is her favorite hobby. And Angelina practices gymnastics. She came to Yerevan with her mother and sister for competitions and took third place. The sister immediately says that she won first place in the previous competitions. Then the blue-eyed Angelina shows us somersaults and some tricks, moving as light as a feather. Tatev's parents and brother stayed with him in Goris, while her grandmother and aunt are under blockade in Stepanakert. "Grandma says that it would be good if we open the roads as soon as possible, let's go as soon as possible, otherwise she won't be able to do it alone, they turned off the gas there, it's very difficult for them too." (The material was ready for publication when it was reported that the gas supply was restored in Artsakh). And the father is waiting for Greta and Angelina in Stepanakert. They say they miss him a lot. "Well, we are nothing, again, we are out of the country, but our father, grandmothers, and grandfathers are there in the blockade, we are nothing," says Angelina with special insight to the great man, looking down half-smiling. Her sister continues: "[Dad] says don't be afraid, everything will be fine, everything will be fine." Tatev says that at least they found each other here, otherwise he would be very sad alone. Asya, who likes drawing the most and who explains the logic of dominoes to me, is a very self-confident girl. With her wavy hair in thick braids, she is the first to answer that she was not afraid of this tense situation. Her father, grandmother, and grandfather are waiting for her in Artsakh. She says that although they are worried, they "give courage", they say that the road will open soon, and he will go to them. Greta and Angelina's mother, Armine Aghajanyan, leans on the windowsill and follows our conversation with a smile. Armine is from Nor Aygestan or Chaylu village of Martakert region. In the 1990s, the village of Chaylu remained under the control of the enemy, and the villagers founded a new village, NorAygestan. But with the tripartite agreement of November 9, this village also came under the enemy's control. Armine got married and lives in Stepanakert. Armine Aghajanyan He tells that he brought the children to Yerevan for gymnastics competitions, after which they boarded a transport and headed home to Stepanakert. But on the way, they already learned that the Azerbaijanis cut off the connection. Hoping that the road will be opened soon, like last time, they came to Goris. And they have been here for five days. "The Turks did something like this again, they blocked the road once, so we came to Goris hoping that they would open it in a few hours, but they didn't." Armine works in the republican hospital, she informed her colleagues that they stayed on the road. She says that, of course, everyone approaches the problem with understanding. When I ask which of her relatives remained besieged in Artsakh, she says her husband and immediately adds: "All of them are our Artsakh people, they are all ours, I consider them relatives to me." Armine is sure that the Azerbaijanis have blocked the road to get what they want, but, he says, none of them are afraid of them: "We know that this is a temporary thing, they may block the road again, they want something else. We will stay here as long as necessary until the road is opened. I want to say that we will not give anything anymore, they just want to scare us, it is their job again, they are used to scaring us with such actions, but no one is afraid, the children are not afraid either, they just have to go to school, I am at work, is an obstacle to that, but we will stay as long as necessary until the way is opened," he says and notes that the international structures do not intervene, do not react. "I would like them to intervene quickly, discuss our Karabakh issue, and find a solution. We just want peace in our lovely little Artsakh. I am with everybody, I am with our Artsakh people, I want none of them to be broken, everything will be fine," she concluded. Evening comes in Goris. Men gather in hotel courtyards and discuss the situation, but there is no noise. There is no noise at all in Goris. Six-year-old Avet and three-year-old Marian are waiting for their father, Mkhitar Ananyan, in their house in Mets Shen village of Martakert, who is one of the hundreds who did not manage to return home. Mkhitar is a physics, science, and chess teacher at Mets Shen school. A few days ago, he came to Yerevan for health reasons, the day before returning, the Azerbaijanis cut off the road, and Mkhitar has to stay in Goris. Mkhitar Ananyan "Until today, we are waiting here with great hope that the road will be opened, we will go. We don't want Yerevan, because our relatives are in Karabakh, in more serious danger, we want to reach our children a day earlier. I have two children. We encourage them more, it's clear: children and women think a little more, of course," says Mkhitar, but expresses hope that this too can be overcome, they will overcome it. Mkhitar considers unity to be the most important thing in this situation. He says that not everyone should take a step from his point of view, but in unison, so that it is possible to get out of the crisis. "I would urge them not to be depressed by all this, this is also an obstacle that can be overcome, we must try to get out of this situation." Hayarpi Baghdasaryan
15:25 - 16 December, 2022
A long waiting between Lisagor and Tegh

A long waiting between Lisagor and Tegh

It is the fourth day that Azerbaijanis do not open the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia. You have probably read and heard these words dozens of times in recent days. That alarm-like sentence is in the air, especially among the mountains of Lisagore. Here is the checkpoint of the Russian peacekeepers, which does not open for going to Stepanakert. Lisagor, Yegtsahogh, Mets Shen and Hin Shen settlements of the Shushi region remained on the other side of that checkpoint as Azerbaijani "environmentalists" cut the connection with Stepanakert on the other side. Because of the blockade of movement, 1100 people, including more than 270 children, cannot return home. Patients in need of urgent medical care cannot be transported to Armenia for professional care. The supply of food and medical supplies has stopped. Due to the closure of the road, some men spend the night in their cars, some people who could not reach their homes found a temporary roof in nearby Lisagor, and hundreds of people went to Syunik Marz, Yerevan, or other settlements. The men are approaching the checkpoint of the Russian peacekeeping forces, hoping that now they will finally hear the news: the Azerbaijanis have opened the way. But everything ends at the intersection of the indifferent or maybe purely official look of the young peacekeeping trooper and the cigarette burning between the frozen fingers of the Artsakh citizen. Irina, an employee of the Lisagor village administration, offers coffee and tea to those standing outside, who also say encouraging words to each other. Irina Babajanyan left to talk to her sister on the phone. A sentence comes out of the room. "Let's go shopping, the shops are emptying already." Mrs. Irina tells that when they found out that the Azerbaijanis blocked the road, they did not panic, because this was not the first case. Only this time it took longer than expected, in the previous times they were closed and opened for ten minutes, one or two hours. People were probably used to these short-term provocations, but they probably did not want to imagine that they would not see their relatives for days, and they would remain in the blockade for days. Mrs. Irina does not hide that she has worries, but she emphasizes for the second time that there is no panic. She says that people solved their household, health, and social issues through the connection with Stepanakert, and now that the vital connection has been cut, the village shop is also closed. "We keep our daily food in the village: macaroni, flour, we buy so little and nothing, because we don't think about the future... Or there is not so much opportunity to buy a lot at once. We buy the rest of the things from the shops every day, we can't do it every day, right? All this was done through the connection of Stepanakert. We can overcome most of these domestic problems, but this lifestyle will be very difficult for us," she says, telling that when they learned that the road was closed and people stayed outside for a cold day, they immediately arranged that they have a place to stay. More than forty people were accommodated in the houses of Lisagor residents. Irina Babajanyan "It's true, at that moment the head of our community was absent for a good reason, he has health problems, but he helps in everything," says Mrs. Irina, and it turns out that the village head was discharged from the hospital in Stepanakaret and did not manage to return, and remained in Artsakh in the capital. Mrs. Irina's daughter and grandson also went to Stepanakert and could not come back. But he continues to believe. Every moment we expect something good, every moment, there has always been a difficulty, we have overcome it." Most of the people gathered at the checkpoint of Russian peacekeepers located near Lisagor are drivers of cars loaded with food. Among them are Arsen and Gurgen, who are watching our conversation from a distance and who also could not reach Stepanakert. Arsen Khachatryan says that on the way to Stepanakert, they learned that the Azerbaijanis had closed the corridor, but, hoping that they would open it soon, they continued to come. Arsen Khachatryan "We came to our post in Tegh village and stayed for one night, then they told us to come to Lisagor, that is, we are here for four days, we are waiting. Some - in the car, some - at a friend's house, we will see what happens," says Arsen, whose family is also in Stepanakert during the blockade. "We talk to the child on the phone, we are happy when we call." Arsen's friend, Gurgen Gabrielyan, who smiles modestly, is perhaps the most impatiently waiting for the road to open: his wife will give birth to a child soon, few days left. Gurgen says that he will wait a little longer and tell the peacekeepers about this, he will ask them to come with them to Stepanakert so that he can be with his wife. Gurgen Gabrielyan By the way, Arsen is from Taghavard village in the Martuni region of Artsakh. From the part of the camp which is now under the control of the enemy. Arsen now lives in Stepanakert. And Gurgen who is from the village of Chartar in the Martuni region, lived in Shushi for some time, until it also came under the control of the enemy. Now he also lives in Stepanakert. Our attention is diverted when we hear two peacekeeping officers counting the parked trucks. "Eleven," says one of them with an indifferent look, the other corrects: "No, fourteen." They decide to take another look. There is a hushed conversation among people with their hands in their pockets from the cold, "as if they want to open the way for food trucks, women and children." But enthusiasm does not enter them, as if they do not believe. They say that they have come a thousand times in the past few days to say that the road will soon be opened, in two hours, in three. But on the fourth day, it does not open. We arrived very early in Lisagor. We reached the place almost after sunrise. After several hours of harsh conversations, we decide to turn back. We wish success to the people, we share their wish, and we are all waiting for Gurgen to do something, get to his wife, even if only he goes first. And we go back, recalling in our mind how many checkpoints of peacekeepers there are ahead when we have to prepare the passports. We think that if we reached Lisagor unhindered, it will be easier to go back, like going down the "road". At the first checkpoint, the young Russian man approaches the ticket, rises it up, and we pass, after a few minutes we see their bases, then the next checkpoint. The Russian officer comes out of his checkpoint located near the Hin Shen settlement and, walking in the direction of our car, showing us to go back. He approaches the window of the car and says, "It's closed." - Why? - The exit and entrance are closed. Turn around, go back. - Where, back to where? - Where did you come from? - We left from Goris. - Well, the exit is prohibited, as well as the entrance. We have an order. - But we... And from here the young man doesn't listen anymore, he says it, turns around, and goes. We go out and approach the other servant, who, according to everything, is discussing this issue with his superior. At that time, only our car was standing in the direction going to Goris, another car was standing in the opposite direction to Lisagor. A few words are heard from the hand-held radio device of a Russian peacekeeper. "Let them go now, but warn them they cannot come back." The Russian peacekeepers open the boom barrier, stressing again that in case of coming back, entry is prohibited. We move forward, and the officer at the next checkpoint also gives a similar warning. To the question: what is the problem, is there a new order, and how long will this ban last, he answers that there is a new order, and maybe it will be settled after lunch (this text is written about an hour after the conversation, and currently we have no new information about the situation on the ground). The last checkpoint is in the Tegh community. This is an Armenian checkpoint, where we ask the officials why the road to Stepanakert is already closed near the Hin Shen settlement. But the officials do not give a clear answer, they say that they were closed by the Russian side. And when we were near Tegh checkpoint, the cars were already stopping there. Hayarpi Baghdasaryan  
16:10 - 15 December, 2022
Turkish myths about the Armenian nuclear power plant

Turkish myths about the Armenian nuclear power plant

In August, the Turkish media outlet guvengazetesi.com.tr published an extensive article about the Armenian nuclear power plant under the title "The great threat from Armenia". A small part of the article was printed on the trilingual website ermenihaber.am (it operates in Armenian, Turkish, and Russian) under the headline "Turkish official claims the Metsamor nuclear power plant poses a threat to Turkey and Azerbaijan". That publication of Ermenihaber.am was also published by other Armenian mass media. Taking into account the presence of a number of problematic claims in the article, Infocom sent a written request to The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure (hereinafter referred to as Ministry) (the department responsible for the energy sector) and the Committee on Nuclear Safety Regulation of the Republic of Armenia as a watchdog of atomic energy) with a number of questions regarding their truthfulness and asking for clarifications. The request was re-addressed from the Ministry to the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (hereinafter referred to as ANPP), and the Committee on Nuclear Safety Regulation of the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) noted that considering the volume and importance of the issues, in order to provide relevant information, it will be necessary to consider archival documents, which will require additional time. Having received the answers within the one-month period defined by the law, we can state that the statements and assumptions of the Turkish author do not correspond to reality. The period of operation of the NPP has not ended but has been extended Thus, at the beginning of the article, the author noted that the ANPP continues to be operated despite the expiration of its time. Apparently, he means the design period of operation. With the request to receive information, we asked to be told how much was the design period of the operation of the NPP, if it was over, and when and on what basis was the decision made to continue the operation. According to the official answers, the power unit 2-nd of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant operates in Armenia, which was put into operation in 1980.  The design (designated) operation lifetime was until September 2016, and before then it was planned to build a new nuclear power unit in Armenia, which, however, was postponed because of the circumstances of the Fukushima disaster and the global financial crisis.  "With the stoppage of the operating Energy Block and the lack of primary fuel and energy resources - oil, gas, coal, as a result - Armenia could find itself in a critical situation because the ANPP produces around 38% of the electricity consumed in the country. Therefore, the RA government, with decision No. 461 of April 19, 2012, started the process aimed at extending the operation period of the station." An appropriate program was developed and complex works were carried out (resource assessment, measures to increase safety, modifications, comprehensive instrumental research of devices, equipment, and systems, analysis, etc.), which substantiated the possibility of safe operation of the 2-nd power unit of the ANPP until September 2026. As a result, the Committee, after examining the performed works and supporting documents, allowed the extension of the operation period. According to the  Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, this decision corresponds to global practice, and the possibility of extending the operation period of nuclear power plants up to 60 years is practically achievable.  "Currently, 85 power units put into operation in the 70s, which are 10 years older than the ANPP,  continue to work in the world," the answer says. In the same context, the author also noted that Armenia violates the agreement signed with the European Union in 1999, according to which the NPP was to be closed before 2004. We were interested in whether it was ever planned to stop the operation of the NPP before 2004, whether there is or was such an agreement, and if so, what was the reason for that decision, what will happen next, and on what basis it was changed later. In response, the Committee informed that in 1994, the leadership of the European Union, in a letter addressed to the President of Armenia, stated that in order to overcome the energy crisis created in Armenia, it would not object to the restart of the 2-nd power unit of the ANPP, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development would provide 50 million USD to the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant for the construction of the 5th unit, with a condition that Armenia will take measures to stop the operation of the 2nd power unit of the ANPP before 2004.  "The President of Armenia stated in a reply letter that Armenia will stop the operation of the 2nd power unit of the ANPP after commissioning a new power plant of the same capacity (providing a similar level of energy independence)." Later on, the information on the results of continuing the safe operation of the power unit and the constant improvement of safety was provided to the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (hereinafter IAEA), which made it possible to assess the safety level of the plant as average according to the global rating (14th place among 32 countries operating nuclear power plants). According to the assurance of the ANPP, there is currently an understanding among international organizations regarding the need to continue the operation of the Armenian NPP (in case of technical feasibility and safety justification) before building replacement nuclear capacities. Speaking about the modernization of the NPP, the author wrote that about 400 experts from Belarus, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and other countries will participate in the maintenance work, and the ANPP will remain closed shut down for 141 days, after which it will be possible to operate it until 2036. We were interested in whether new modernization works are planned in the near future, or whether the website refers to the works of 2021, during which the work of the ANPP was stopped for 141 days. According to the Committee, taking into account the mentioned 141 days, it can be assumed that it’s about the planned preventive repair of 2021. "At that time, the need for a long-term shut-down arose for the introduction of large-scale measures (modifications) to increase the safety of the ANPP. Based on the performed works, the Committee allowed the further operation of the 2nd power unit of the ANPP, as already mentioned, until September 2026. However, safety enhancement works are continuous and accompany any nuclear power plant in operation," the Committee informed. As for the year mentioned, 2036, it is noted in the strategic plan for the development of the energy sector of Armenia. With this, it is planned to operate the existing power unit until 2036 in case of safety justification.  "By the way, the arrival and work of more than 400 specialists from a number of European countries at the ANPP is the best refutation of the author of the article's evaluation of the ANPP as the "world's most dangerous nuclear power plant", the ANPP noted, adding that after the commissioning of the plant in 2021, and after the completion of the repair and restoration works, the delegations of a number of international and national organizations conducted inspections at the ANPP, as a result of which they did not find any obstacles for the restart of the plant. "It would not be possible to restart the ANPP without the approval of the  repair and restoration works results by the IAEA." Since its construction, there have been no accidents at the NPP The Turkish author also noted that many serious accidents have occurred at the ANPP since its construction. In the inquiry, we had asked to detail when, what kind of, and how many accidents happened at the ANPP, and if there were any, to mention the causes and consequences on the population and the environment. The committee informed that there have never been any accidents at the ANPP. According to international and national legislation in the field of atomic energy use, an accident has a specific definition. Accordingly, an accident is a situation created during the operation of a nuclear power plant, during which there was a release of radioactive materials exceeding the limits of safe operation and (or) the spread of ionizing radiation. According to the relevant decision of the RA government, the accident is characterized by the initial accident, development paths, and consequences. According to the committee, only incidents occurred during the operation of the ANPP, which were never higher than level 1 on the scale of the IAEA INES system.  "Incidents are reported to the Committee, as well as to the IAEA, according to the established procedure. The information is also published in the "International Reporting System" database managed by the IAEA. The ANPP also informed that the only serious accident that occurred during the entire operation can be considered the ignition of the cables of the 16th passage in the turbine workshop (engine hall) of power unit No. 1 (now out of operation). It happened on October 15, 1982. According to the international scale of nuclear power plant accidents, the given accident was assigned a level of "0", which means that it was a technical event that was not related to the nuclear plant and its work.  "This event is not classified as an accident because there was no leak of radioactive materials outside the reactor workshop. The fire was extinguished, the damaged cables and individual elements were replaced, and the No. 1 power unit continued its normal operation until 1989 shut-down, after which that unit is not operated," the answer reads. The Spitak earthquake of 1988 did not cause any negative consequences for the ANPP The author of the article also claimed that although the ANPP is located about 100 km from the city of Spitak, it suffered great damage during the 1988 earthquake, created a risk of radioactive leakage, and was closed due to seismic vulnerability. We asked the relevant authorities to inform us whether there was a "danger of radioactive leakage" after the Spitak earthquake and whether the reason for the shutdown of the 1989 ANPP was the "great damage" suffered by the plant as a result of the Spitak earthquake. In case of a negative answer, we asked to clarify on what grounds the Council of Ministers of the USSR made such a decision. According to the answer received from the ANPP, the Spitak earthquake did not cause any negative consequences for the ANPP. The equipment of the station registered shocks of up to 5.6 points on the Richter scale, while the protection limit, according to the same scale, was 6 points. As it's known, the intensity of the earthquake was 7 points.  "Both power units continued to work in normal operation mode at the time of the earthquake and after that, and as a result of further detailed inspection of the plant's equipment and building structures, no injuries were found. Therefore, the information about the radioactive leakage or the damage suffered by the Nuclear Power Plant is unfounded, because no system was damaged, and the existing radiation monitoring systems did not register any leakage." However, against the background of the Chernobyl syndrome and the seismic shock of the Armenian population, the Council of Ministers of the USSR (on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR) decided to shut down power unit No. 1 on February 25, 1989, and power unit No. 2 on March 18. According to the Committee, it was an exclusively political decision. In the same context, the author noted that even if there is no danger of an explosion in the ANPP, the way is still open for contamination and cancer in the region. Although he did not mention any official statistics of cancer cases, he nevertheless mentioned the alleged impact of the ANPP on Igdir, giving examples of the increase in cancer cases, the drying of vegetation, etc., which, according to the author, are thought-provoking. We asked to clarify how reasonable it is to associate this kind of negative consequences with nuclear power plants in general and the operation of the Armenian nuclear power plant in particular. We also asked to present how and with what frequency monitoring of the releases to environment is carried out at the NPP. The committee noted that the claim was made without statistical data analysis or relevant references to the results of scientific research, which implies that it is the author's subjective assessment. Meanwhile, round-the-clock monitoring of the radiation situation is being carried out in the square of the ANPP and in the guarded area, the results of which prove that the parameters for evaluating the radiation situation there do not exceed the internationally defined standards. Therefore, according to the Committee, the negative impact of the ANPP on the environment during normal operation is practically absent.  "In addition, within the framework of the convention "On Nuclear Safety" and joint convention "On Management of Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel", RA regularly submits national reports to the IAEA, which also mention the parameters of the radiation situation in the ANPP's site and in the monitored area. That's information, which is also available to Turkish specialists in the field. Professional platforms for professional discussions have been created by the IAEA, and similar issues have not been raised by any country, including Turkey, until now," the answer reads. The ANPP also emphasized that if according to the author, the effect of the ANPP on their settlement, which is far enough away from the station, is so negative, then there should have been an oncological disaster in the nearby areas and in Armenia itself, considering the burnt desert.  "However, fortunately, the objective picture is completely different. The saline soiled semi-desert, where the Armenian NPP was built, is currently mostly covered with gardens, vegetable gardens, and forest plantations." The ANPP fully controls the activity of discharged technical water The Turkish author wrote that the wastewater used for cooling the reactor is discharged into the Araks River and then into the Caspian Sea, therefore, the Metsamor NPP poses a serious threat to all the countries bordering the Caspian Sea. With the survey, we asked to reveal the authenticity of this statement, as well as to clarify the management of the water generated at the ANPP and, in case of discharge, their impact on the population and the environment. The committee informed that this is absolute misinformation because they do not use wastewater for cooling the reactor.  "Particularly, in the case of ANPP, the reactor is cooled by the water of the first circuit circulating in a closed system, which in turn its place is cooled by the water of the second circuit circulating in a closed system, and the latter is cooled by technical water (which is also a closed circulating system)." The ANPP also detailed the management of discharges. Accordingly, the total activity of the technical water discharged from the ANPP is measured in special control tanks, and only if it does not exceed the specified amount, their discharge is allowed on the basis of a special environmental certificate, which presents the specific activity of the water, its volume, and other parameters. "The discharge is carried out through a special pipeline to the treatment structures, and from there through a canal to the Black Water River. The activity of the discharged water is monitored in the pipeline at the exit point from the ANPP, at the exit point from the treatment structures, and at the point of discharge to the Black Water river. The average specific activity of discharged water and gases discharged into the atmosphere during the entire period of operation of the ANPP did not exceed 1% of the set normative values ​​(it is one hundred times less than the permitted values)." The nuclear fuel and radioactive waste of the ANPP are stored exclusively in RA The author noted that there are claims that Armenia sells radioactive waste to Georgia. He also mentioned that allegedly "during the occupation" the nuclear waste of the ANPP was buried in Karabakh. Although these claims are again not based on any exact source, we were interested in whether the practice of selling radioactive waste exists in general, and if not, is it possible that such waste was transported from Armenia to Georgia or to Artsakh for other purposes? Taking into account the requirements of the Law "On the Safe Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes", according to which the export of nuclear, radioactive materials, and radioactive waste from RA is prohibited (except for some cases), we asked to be informed about what is being done and where the radioactive waste of the ANPP is stored, and whether Armenia has the necessary infrastructure for recording and controlling the radioactive waste, if not, then in cooperation with which country is it implemented? The Committee called the claims about burying and exporting the waste in Karabakh absolute misinformation, noting that the spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated at the ANPP after independence are stored exclusively in the territory of the ANPP, and their management is carried out in accordance with national and international regulations, as well as guidelines, according to internal procedures and instructions.  "Armenia has a number of obligations, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and all nuclear materials in Armenia are accounted for and under state control. On the basis of the agreement between Armenia and the IAEA on the application of guarantees related to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, IAEA inspectors regularly carry out inspections that document the fulfillment of the international obligations assumed by Armenia." The ANPP added that radioactive waste is recorded and stored only on the territory of the ANPP, in special buildings, structures, separate squares, and landfills. The choice of site depends on the type of waste, liquid or solid, and the categories of the high, medium, or low activity.  "The station is sufficiently equipped with the necessary equipment, devices, tools, and properly qualified personnel." According to the ANPP, any contact with objects, tools, devices, and materials in the controlled zone (where radiation contamination is possible) is allowed only by special dose regulations, in which the permissible time of contact is fixed (according to the results of radiation monitoring). The removal of any material value from the controlled zone is carried out with special passes and in the presence of a certificate not exceeding the permissible level of radiation background. The procedure for removing material values ​​from the station, and even more so from RA, is stricter., in that case, the requirements submitted to the justification and purpose of the transfer are added.  "For the export of those materials from Armenia, the radiation background of which exceeds the natural level (but is within the permissible limits), the agreement of the receiving country and the transit country are necessary ( the existence of a contract)", added the Armenian NPP. The parallels between the Chernobyl NPP and the Armenian NPP are groundless, as they are unrelated projects According to the author of the article, the Metsamor nuclear power plant, like Chernobyl, was built with the oldest Russian technologies, therefore, it is the most dangerous power plant left from Soviet times, and if an accident occurs, it will affect not only Turkiye and Azerbaijan but also all the surrounding countries, just like Chernobyl was the case. We asked whether the comparisons of the websites are reasonable, and if not, what are the essential differences between Metsamor and Chernobyl nuclear power plants. According to the official answers, the parallels between the reactors of the Chernobyl NPP and the Armenian NPP are groundless, taking into account the fundamental difference in their structures. They are unrelated projects. The point is that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is a single-circuit nuclear power plant of the boiling type, and the ANPP is a double-circuit nuclear power plant with a cooler under pressure. The essential difference is that if the steam operating the turbogenerator in a single-circuit nuclear power plant is radioactive, then in a double-circuit nuclear power plant it is not radioactive (the water of the first circuit, cooling the nuclear fuel, heats up and transfers this heat through the steam generator to the water of the second circuit without mixing with the latter, and the second the circuit water, turning into steam, works the turbogenerator). The committee emphasized that using the words "oldest" and "most dangerous" when talking about nuclear power plants is the wrong approach because standards operating in the field are used to assess the safety of nuclear power plants, which represent certain numerical values. Continuing the claims about the danger of the NPP, the website also wrote that the IAEA and the EU declared that it is the most dangerous nuclear power plant in the world. We asked if such an assessment was ever made by these structures. According to the official answers, that statement is completely unfounded. The EU is a political structure, and such a claim has never been made by any official person, and the IAEA, being a structural unit of the United Nations, according to its charter, gives exclusively professional assessments and such an assessment regarding the 2nd power unit of the ANPP has never been made.  According to the ANPP, this comparison is the same as accusing the IAEA and the EU of being biased and without any principles, because when assessing the Armenian NPP as "the most dangerous NPP in the world", a strict demand to stop it should have been immediately presented. "The Armenian NPP is operated strictly in accordance with the guidelines of the IAEA, it regularly receives various missions from it, and performs many works based on the results of stress tests carried out by the IAEA and also by the EU. With the support (advisory, technical, financial) mentioned above, as well as other donor countries and organizations, continuous programs aimed at increasing safety and reliability are being implemented at the Armenian NPP.  "Armenia fully fulfills its international obligations," it's stated in the answer. The author also noted that on March 31, 1986, hundreds of people in a letter sent to the head of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, demanded to close the ANPP, that such a demand was also presented by prominent intellectuals and leaders of the independence movement in the process of independence of Armenia, as well as   Morris Rosen, former deputy general director of IAEA, who conducted an examination in Metsamor in 1995, also admitted that Metsamor's architectural project was not complete. If there is official information about these alleged cases, we asked them to be presented as well. According to the official answers, the protests of public activists, especially during the collapse of Soviet Armenia, were of a politicized nature and were not based on any valid arguments.  "In the late eighties of the last century, people were looking for an explanation for their dissatisfaction with the quality of life, and some believed that by stopping the ANPP, Nairit, and other "harmful" productions, Armenia would be freed from the tutelage of the USSR and gain the long-awaited independence. However, life showed the opposite, and already in 1993, the RA government's decision to  restart the work of power unit No. 2 of the ANPP was perceived with understanding and approval." The Committee noted that after the restart of the 2nd power unit of the ANPP, an open operation policy is implemented, during which not only measures to increase the safety of the power unit but also working and scientific meetings organized at the ANPP, expert missions carried out by international structures are covered,  emergency exercises are conducted, etc. "Even now, there is no public opinion aimed at stopping the operation of the 2nd power unit of the ANPP," the official response of the ANPP claims.  It should also be noted that although there are regular announcements at the level of officials in Turkiye about the alleged danger of the Armenian NPP, in this case, the term "Turkish official" spread in the Armenian media is not correct, because the author of the article, Aydin Deniz, is not an official, but the head of the Igdir journalists' community. And even though the website Ermenihaber.am, which is a source for the Armenian mass media, mentioned "Turkish official" in the title, presented the author as the head of the mentioned structure in the publication. Thus, the claims of the article published by the Turkish guvengazetesi.com.tr media, about the Armenian nuclear power plant, are groundless, unsubstantiated, and tend to misrepresent Armenia's proper fulfillment of its obligations under national and international legislation.  
18:22 - 25 September, 2022
Careful of the shards and glass: The house of a resident of Akner village was damaged by a bullet

Careful of the shards and glass: The house of a resident of Akner village was damaged by a bullet

"Be careful, it's shards and glass," Edgar Salbunts, a resident of Akner village in Goris said, inhaling cigarette smoke while escorting him to his house damaged by the enemy's artillery shell. With every explosion heard not too far away, he sighs deeply and stretches his hand towards the roof, on which the projectile fell and tore off the roof, damaging the building. He left the house, and less than ten minutes later, there was a powerful explosion. Edgar cannot describe it in words. While I'm taking photos, he points to the corners of the house, suggesting what to pay attention to. The ceiling was destroyed, the windows were broken, a look of concern, the sound of the Vararak River, the buzz of a  fly, a sound like thunder and an explosion: one, two, three. Then we lose the count. Edgar shows the fragments of the exploded projectile, constantly repeating that we should walk carefully, they are very sharp, and they are embedded in the carpet. He repeats to himself: "In two days, the rains will start, Eda, I have to get ready, what should I do?" Edgar will fix the roof, and he will fix the house as well, I think, I didn't feel like leaving after talking with him, no matter how hard the times are and the explosions are near. Akner is a beautiful village. But now sadness has come here. I tell Sargis to stop and talk to the gathered people, but later I regret it because it seems to me that everything is more than obvious, and now I have nothing to ask. If someone wants to talk, he will talk. And so it happens.   A black-haired lady approaches our moving car, leans against the open window, and tells us at once. "I'm not afraid, dear, I'm afraid for my children, soldiers. I would like to kill those Turks, but everyone is afraid for the children. At least they should collect the adults and take them away so that these children are not left alone," says Mrs. Marina, who works as a sanitary in a medical facility and helps wounded soldiers. Mrs. Marina says that they cannot go and bring grass from the field even now, the enemy is near. "Tell me who to turn to, whom to complain to, show me a direction, I'll go and tell."  Seems to me that they washed their hands of this. Now they have already reached us," says the lady. Now let me finish the story with Akner, because it is heavy and because the artillery explosions sometimes distract me.   Hayarpi Baghdasaryan
15:20 - 14 September, 2022