Caucasus, the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh takes to the streets against the siege of Azerbaijan

Over forty thousand Armenians from Artsakh took to the streets this morning, on Christmas day, to ask the world to open its eyes to the imminent humanitarian catastrophe that is about to overwhelm the country. For two weeks, Azerbaijan has closed the only access route, preventing supplies of food and medicines. In fact, the Lachin corridor continues to be blocked by Azerbaijani demonstrators who, under the guise of an environmental protest, are isolating Artsakh, preventing its inhabitants from entering or leaving the country. The situation is serious because supplies of food and medicines are running out and so far the appeals to the international community to break the siege have been useless. The Russian contingent – which according to the agreements signed in 2020 by Moscow, Yerevan and Baku after the 44-day war – was supposed to maintain security on the contact line between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, has so far been unable to reopen the road and the protest against him mounts. One hundred and twenty thousand people, one third of whom are children, remain completely isolated and fear that Azerbaijan aims to complete the occupation that began two years ago with the blitzkrieg supported militarily by Turkey, a conflict that caused seven thousand deaths, one hundred thousand displaced people and immense destruction. Today’s peaceful demonstration could be the last call to avert a humanitarian drama, because Azerbaijan has also reduced supplies of gas and drinking water.