Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh

2022 Artsakh blockade
Part of the 2021–2022 Armenia–Azerbaijan border crisis and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Date 12 December 2022 – present (2 years, 1 week and 6 days) Location Lachin corridor, Armenia–Azerbaijan border Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Azerbaijani environmental activists (according to Azerbaijan) Azerbaijan	Armenia Artsakh

The 2022 Artsakh blockade began on 12 December 2022, with the Azerbaijanis blocking the only road connecting the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh with Armenia, in the area of ​​the Shushi-Karin intersection, which is in the zone of responsibility of the peacekeeping mission of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Azerbaijan lists blockers as environmental activists.

On 13 December, Azerbaijan also interrupted the supply of gas from Armenia to Artsakh.

Background

On 3 December, Artsakh information headquarters reported that a group of Azerbaijanis blocked the Stepanakert-Goris highway at the intersection under Shusha-Dashalty. After the road was closed for 4 hours, it was opened, but Azerbaijan announced that it is sending specialists to the location of the Russian peacekeepers.

On 10 December, the Ministries of Economy and Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan issued a joint statement, according to which Azerbaijan is starting environmental observations in the territory of the Republic of Artsakh. On the same day, a group of Azerbaijanis tried to enter the Kashen mine, but the mine's security staff did not allow it.

Blockade

On the morning of 12 December , it became known that at 10:30 a group of Azerbaijanis who consider themselves environmentalists blocked the only road connecting Armenia to Artsakh in the area of Shusha city. After some time, the latter placed tents in the middle of the road. According to Azerbaijani sources, environmental non-governmental organizations are conducting the action, complaining that they were not given the opportunity to observe the Drombon and Kashen mines of Artsakh the previous day. They demand a meeting with the commander of the Russian peacekeepers, Andrey Volkov.

On 13 December, Azerbaijani MP Rasim Musabayov threatened that if they are not allowed to enter the mines of Artsakh, Azerbaijan may destroy the Kashen mine with a rocket-bomb strike.

On the evening of 13 December, Azerbaijan moved internal troops and police forces to the closed section of the road.

Humanitarian crisis

The Ministry of Health of Artsakh reported that as a result of the blocking of the road connecting Artsakh with Armenia by Azerbaijan, the transfer of Artsakh citizens with serious health problems to Yerevan remains impossible.

According to the Artsakh human rights defender, due to the closure of the Artsakh-Armenia road on the night of 12 December, 1100 people were left on the roads in cold winter conditions, including 270 children.

The information headquarters of Artsakh reports that as a result of the blocking of the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, Mets Shen, Hin Shen, Yeghtsahogh and Lisagor communities of Shushi Province are actually surrounded. It has become impossible to deliver food, particularly bread and flour, as well as other basic necessities to these communities.

On the evening of 13 December, Artsakh's information headquarters reported that Azerbaijan disrupted the supply of gas to Artsakh from Armenia. Artsakh's state minister announced that starting from December 14, in order to save fuel, the educational institutions of Artsakh that are heated with gas will not work.

Reactions

• Armenia - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia stated that the provocative actions of Azerbaijan may lead to a large-scale humanitarian disaster
• United States - United States Department of State spokesman Ned Price said that the closure of the corridor has serious humanitarian consequences and called on Azerbaijan to restore free movement through the Lachin corridor.