Lachin Corridor came under the control of Azerbaijan. What does this mean for Karabakh Armenians? |

At first it was not easy: This area is formal Azerbaijan although, during “transit” to Lachin only Armenia those with passports could enter without prior agreement, while the Azerbaijani military had to agree with the Russians on each passage along the corridor. Even if there is an agreement, Azerbaijan the convoy was accompanied by Russian peacekeepers.

“Before, they were angry. But we explained to them that this is the terms of the peace agreement. This contract is signed by the president. So please… Usually after these words, all arguments are over,” March 2021 Russia the peacekeeper told the BBC.

Conflicts often occurred on the mountain road, which was only a few kilometers long. Azerbaijanis passing by hung national flags from the windows of their cars, demonstrating that this was their territory. And the Armenians Azerbaijan when they saw his caravan, they responded in a unique way – they showed the middle finger sign.

Over time, it became calmer: in the fall of 2021, a passage through the Lachin corridor was opened for private cars. However, peacekeepers are still keeping a strict watch along the corridor.

At that time, in 2021, only 80 people lived in Lachin. Many of them Azerbaijan he spoke with horror about the fact that the local population was given very little time to gather and leave in the neighboring villages that came under his control.

Most had nowhere to go. The few inhabitants of Lachin did not want to go anywhere. But now they may have to.

Half a year after the end of the war could be described as a time without war and without peace. There were regular local conflicts.

The escalation was mainly blamed on Azerbaijan, which took control of another settlement and height in the conflict zone even in March of this year.

However, at the end of July, the situation in Karabakh worsened considerably. The initially unrecognized “Government of Nagorno-Karabakh” announced that Azerbaijan “attempted to cross” the contact line.

Then Russian peacekeepers They informed about “three violations of the ceasefire regime” by Azerbaijan. Later, the parties began to accuse each other of firing. Several soldiers in the shooting perished it happened

Some independent experts said at that time that the new phase of the conflict Inspiration It is related to Aliyev’s desire to push Yerevan to resolve the disputed issues as soon as possible.

And the time is good for this – while Russia is engaged in a war in Ukraine and the whole world is watching what is happening, Azerbaijanis decided to act more aggressively without paying attention to the peacekeepers.

The main unresolved issue was the Lachin corridor, which Azerbaijan wants to control in the near future.

According to the agreements on the end of the war, Armenia and they had to decide on a plan to build a new route bypassing Azerbaijan’s Lachin. Russian peacekeepers they had to take a new path. Three years were given for this and the period has not yet expired.

However, negotiations and agreements took a long time.

After a sharp escalation on August 3, Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan called Baku’s demands for the Lachin Corridor “illegal”: he claimed that Armenia still did not agree to any plans to build a new road.

However, this did not deter Azerbaijan: until that time, that route started from the border of Lachin district with Armenia and reached the Shusha highway – Khankendi. way had already completed the part connected with Now they have declared that the road is ready for full use in Baku.

In Azerbaijan, they believe that Armenia is deliberately delaying the approval of the plan and the construction in its territory during this entire period. Yerevan insisted that it is necessary to wait three years.

However, after the aggravation of the situation in late July – early August, the process accelerated. The unrecognized “Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh” declared that Azerbaijan demanded the evacuation of the village of Lachin and Zabukh (Armenians call it Aghavno) by August 5. A little later, the date was moved to August 25.

Armenians continue to live in the territories that came under the control of Azerbaijan. Many of them cannot reach an agreement with the authorities regarding settlement.

The unrecognized “republic” promises to provide them with temporary housing, but not everyone agrees. The status of temporary housing does not suit many, while others are angry that all the promises are only words.

“Kavkazski Uzel” talked to local residents who are in complete uncertainty. Many of them do not know where they will go, where they can stay, and if so, what will happen to them.

At the beginning of August, the authorities of the unrecognized “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” announced to the Armenian residents of the villages of Lachin, Sus, and Zabukh that they had to leave their homes by August 25, when the territories should finally come under the control of Azerbaijan. Village this announcement was very unexpected for its residents – most of the people who fled there during the Second Karabakh War returned to their homes, hoping to continue their lives in their own homes.

After the authorities ordered people to pack their belongings, journalist Lilit Shahverdyan immediately went to Karabakh. On August 6, he crossed the still-active corridor through the territory of Lachin under the protection of Russian peacekeepers – the military did not allow the journalist to film in the city.

However, he was able to speak with the inhabitants of Zabux. According to the journalist, the local residents did not fully believe that the arrival of Azerbaijan was possible until the end, but they packed their things. 2020in the village after the war school refurnished: walls repaired, walls painted, desks renewed. New teachers came here from Armenia to teach. Now school should also be abandoned.

People removed household appliances and burned unnecessary papers. There are even videos on the Internet showing how some residents set fire to their houses to prevent Azerbaijanis from staying. True, the unrecognized “authorities of the republic” warned that in this case people would not receive compensation.

Lilit Shahverdyan told BBC that in Agavno [Zabux-red.] the unrecognized “DQR” authorities are blamed, but they understand that Azerbaijan probably has no other choice. In the second half of August, Russian armored personnel carriers and checkpoints appeared at the entrance to Zabukh.

“DQR” provides them with 40,000 drams per person (about 99 dollars) and to buy or rent an apartment 10 million dram certificate (about 24,600 dollars) offer did. The journalist says that, especially if we are talking about Armenia, this money would be enough to rent, but not to buy a house.

Moreover, the former residents of Lachin, who received such certificates, faced problems – Armenian banks are suspicious of such documents and often do not accept them.

“Illegally settled people should be removed from the city of Lachin, the villages of Zabux and Sus. This is natural. Their stay there, in fact, military is a crime because it is against the rules of Geneva conversions. The occupying country cannot carry out illegal settlements in the occupied lands,” he said.

On the eve of the handover of the Lachin Corridor, the question arose of how “DQR” should communicate with Armenia if the road is transferred to the control of Azerbaijan. To the region trip Lilit Shahverdyan says that there is an alternative way.

A little before the transfer of the corridor, “DQR” authority to use that route offer does: people will be able to use the road that passes near Shusha and is under the control of Russian peacekeepers. However, the problem will not be completely solved: Armenia and “DKR” still need to move electricity poles and communication lines to the new temporary corridor.

The main problem for the residents of Karabakh gas pipeline remains – it partially passes through the territories controlled by Azerbaijan, and this problem has not yet been resolved.