Aravot: Explosive Materials Imported to Armenia Stuck at Russo-Georgian Border

Aravot newspaper reports that for nearly two weeks, the Georgian side has not allowed cargo from Russia destined for Armenia to cross the border. These are explosive materials used for industrial purposes in mining, road construction, and more.

A vehicle loaded with Russian-made explosive materials completed all procedures on the Russian side at Lars, but is being prohibited from crossing into Georgia. The shipments are intended for the operations of the mining company 'Geopromining' and the Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Plant.

In an interview with Aravot.am, Anna Batikova, head of foreign economic relations at the Russian company 'Promsynthez' that produces these explosives, stated that they have been exporting their products to Armenia for years, specifically for 'Geopromining' and other Armenian companies. This year alone, about 40 vehicles carrying cargo have been sent, with deliveries set to be made monthly.

Ms. Batikova mentioned that vehicles were loaded on July 16 and 24, passed through the Russian side, but remain stuck on the Georgian side, effectively in the neutral zone between Russia and Georgia. “We have written letters to the Georgian government and customs service but have received no response or explanation regarding why the cargo is being blocked from reaching Armenia. Moreover, this is the first time such an incident has occurred. We are one of the largest companies with many years of experience and have been sending shipments to Armenia for many years without any issues,” she said.

For more details, refer to today’s issue of the newspaper.