Your Namak for Friday, March 25
Two Armenian soldiers killed as Azerbaijan escalates offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh and gas shutdown continues.
Hi there, here’s your weekly briefing of Armenian news in English, curated, reported and fact-checked by journalists Astrig Agopian and Maral Tavitian.
Two Armenian Soldiers Killed as Azerbaijan Escalates Offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, Capturing Village
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces significantly escalated their offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh this week, capturing the village of Parukh on March 24 and advancing further on positions in the eastern Askeran region. According to a statement by the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Defense Army, on March 25, the Azerbaijani military deployed unmanned aerial vehicles, including Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 attack drones, resulting in the deaths of two Armenian servicemen. Negotiations led by the Russian peacekeeping contingent failed to yield substantive results as the Azerbaijani military continued its offensive unabated.
The situation on Nagorno-Karabakh’s eastern borderline remains extremely tense, and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Defense Army units have been fully mobilized. In a statement, the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Gegham Stepanyan reported that at least 14 Armenian servicemen have been wounded with varying degrees of injuries.
Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Ministry Accuses Azerbaijan of Ethnic Cleansing
On March 25, the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) accused the Azerbaijani authorities of implementing an ethnic cleansing policy aimed at the complete expulsion of Armenians from the region. The Ministry wrote in a statement, “The international community and specialized international organizations should assess Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian policy in the strictest terms. Indifference and inaction will have the most severe consequences for the entire civilized world.”
Gas Crisis Continues in Nagorno-Karabakh
Against the backdrop of increased Azerbaijani aggression, the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh continues to live without access to gas in freezing weather conditions. Following the completion of restoration works on the damaged pipeline, on March 21 the Azerbaijani authorities once again restricted access to gas supply, depriving more than 100,000 residents of heating and hot water. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) said, “Azerbaijan’s behavior is humanitarian terrorism. It grossly violates the human rights, the norms and principles of international humanitarian law and does not fit into the norms of morality in any way.”
In lieu of a new profile this week, we have decided to a highlight a selection of Nagorno-Karabakh stories from our archives. These individuals embody the spirit, creativity and toughness of a region that has long been overlooked on the international stage, but whose people remain determined to live in their homes.
Azat Adamyan: Meet a 31-year-old war veteran and owner of the only pub in Nagorno-Karabakh
“After the war, when I saw that people wanted to leave Artsakh, that’s when I started wanting to build something new, and build it quickly, so that locals could see that stuff was still happening here.”
Arthur Harutyunyan: Meet our 19-year-old graphic designer and war veteran from Martakert
“I tried to imagine what I would tell my family on the phone when I could talk to them for the first time after all this.”
Yana Avanesyan: Meet a lawyer from Stepanakert helping her community with the tools law has to offer
“I am trying to do my best every single day to gather evidence, testimonies, and use the tools law has to offer to bring justice and fairness to our people.”
Shoushan Keshishian: Meet a Lebanese-Armenian cultivating Stepanakert’s cultural scene
“Armenians are still living in Artsakh, and I want to fight this whole discourse saying it is a boring, depressing, unsafe place.”
To read: Armenians in Lviv Emboldened to Stay, a moving profile on the historic Armenian community of Lviv and the residents determined to stay in their city despite the war. For more reporting by Namak’s Astrig Agopian who is on the ground in Ukraine, follow her on Twitter.
To watch: La fuite des ressortissants russes vers l’Arménie (The flight of Russian nationals to Armenia), a France 24 video report by Taline Oundjian documenting the mixed feelings of Russian migrants in Yerevan. Many new arrivals teeter complex emotional lines, sometimes regarding themselves both as tourists and political refugees.
To read: Russia Is Losing Tens of Thousands of Outward-Looking Young Professionals, a New York Times article highlighting the influx of highly skilled Russian professionals flocking to Armenia. Drawn to Armenia for its flexible work authorization laws and visa-free travel for Russian citizens, thousands of emigrés now land in Yerevan on a daily basis, many of whom work in the creative and technology industries.
That’s it for today, see you next week!
Questions? Story ideas? An urge to say barev/parev? You can send us a secure email at namaknews@protonmail.com.