Previous reports

On January 11, Ruben Vardanyan, the de-facto state minister of the internationally non-recognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, wrote on his Facebook page that speeches of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan confirmed that the only possible choice for Nagorno-Karabakh is fighting. "You have to fight, relying on your strength. To fight with the support of the citizens of Armenia, who, in the last elections, voted for the political forces that declared full support for Nagorno-Karabakh in their programs. To fight with the active support of the Diaspora, which has always been by the motherland's side in extreme situations," he said.

On the same day, Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, stated that Armenia will not be involved in the negotiations with Azerbaijan on the opening of the Lachin Corridor. "The authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh have the opportunity to negotiate and speak directly with Azerbaijan, and they deal with the problem, and Armenia will support every decision of Nagorno-Karabakh," he added. 

On January 14, rumors spread that Ruben Vardanyan would be relieved of his post. On the same day, Vardanyan announced that he will not resign. "I am not going to resign, especially in the current situation. At the same time, the possible resignation of the country's president and parliament is unacceptable. All of us must multiply our efforts to overcome the challenges facing Nagorno-Karabakh. In this situation, we have no right to serve the enemy's agenda and surrender. We now have a real opportunity to keep Nagorno-Karabakh Armenian. I appeal to everyone for political common sense and solidarity," he wrote on Facebook.

Recent developments

On January 17, the unofficial Telegram channel of Russian peacekeepers reported that Russia's Peacekeeping contingent in the Nagorno-Karabakh handed out humanitarian aid to 237 families in the Khojavend [Martuni in Armenian] region with the cooperation of an Armenian humanitarian organization "Haier Miatsek."

On the same day, de-facto Nagorno-Karabakh authorities reported that Azerbaijan cut off the gas supply to the territory from Armenia. The incident was reported at 13:00 hours local time (UTC+04:00). The gas supply was reportedly restored several hours after the interruption.

Moreover, on January 17, hearings in the UK Parliament were held about the ongoing blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Also, on the same day, 19 minors separated from their families since the blockade started in December were brought back from Armenia through Russia peacekeeping mediation. De-facto Karabakh authorities reported that around 15 Azerbaijanis in civilian clothing approached the vehicle near the roadblock, some with cameras. Russian peacekeepers eventually intervened. Azerbaijani state media said a convoy of three vehicles from Russia's Peacekeeping contingent passed through the roadblock unhindered, stating that of 26 Armenians, 20 were minors. No details of the vehicle being checked or stopped.

On the same day, Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, addressed the leaders of the parliaments of more than 30 countries and the presidents of international parliamentary organizations with an official letter regarding the Lachin crisis. "In particular, the article draws attention to the issue of blocking the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, for more than a month. The letter states that blocking the Lachin Corridor under the control of the Russian peacekeeping force is a gross violation by Azerbaijan of the international obligations assumed by the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020," the report added. "The danger of malnutrition is becoming more and more tangible. 41 kindergartens and 20 schools are closed. Thousands of children are denied the right to education. Moreover, this blockade prevents the free movement of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh," it said. "At least 1,100 civilians have been stranded along the highway in recent weeks, unable to return to their homes," the letter emphasized. The Speaker of the National Assembly informed that Nagorno-Karabakh lives in conditions of isolation, with an extreme lack of electricity, without access to services and goods vital for life. "This siege is nothing but a bright continuation of the consistent policy of ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan. Once again emphasizing the determination of the Armenian side to build peace and stability in the region, we call on our international partners to take additional measures to prevent the difficult situation unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the application of sanctions against Azerbaijan," the letter said.

On January 17, a telephone conversation took place between Jeyhun Bayramov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. During the telephone conversation, issues on the bilateral cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and Russia were discussed, including the current situation around the Lachin road. "Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that it is the legitimate right of Azerbaijani citizens to protest against illegal economic activities, including the exploitation of natural resources and abuse of the Lachin road, in the territories of Azerbaijan where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is stationed. in this regard, he pointed out that it is necessary to fulfill the rightful demands of the protesters," the report added.

On January 17, food voucher distribution was launched in Nagorno-Karabakh. As of Friday, there will be a new procedure for purchasing certain types of food products. The coupons will be issued starting today to ensure the primary needs of the population under siege. The operational headquarters' coupon system applies to the most basic food products such as pasta, rice, buckwheat, sugar, and sunflower oil. The issue of introducing the coupon system was discussed in the January 9 session at the Operational headquarters overseeing the emergency situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The de-facto Office of the State minister reported that the coupon system will regulate the distribution of imported food supplies. It was introduced amid reports of locals standing in long queues to purchase basic necessities.

As the Lachin Corridor situation enters its second month, the Karabakh Information Headquarters reported on January 16 that due to the difficult economic situation caused by the protests and blockade, at least 3,400 people had lost their jobs and source of income. Official reports say that 690 small and medium-sized businesses have already suspended their activities. 

Due to the blockade, the electricity supply has also been affected, and regular power outages occur. On Tuesday, an advisor to de-facto Karabakh’s state minister reported that the gas supply had been cut off again.