Russian Residents in Bagratashen to be Transferred to Russia After 12 Days

The Embassy of Russia in Armenia has responded to the requests of Russian residents who have been at the Bagratashen checkpoint since July 30, asking for transportation to Russia by bus. Arthur Ainazyan, currently in Bagratashen, stated this in a conversation with NEWS.am.

“After the media highlighted our problem, we were contacted. They requested our passport details, the number of people, as well as the bus details that will transport us. We will cover our own transportation costs. The embassy just needs to negotiate with Georgia so we can cross the border. We are waiting now; we don’t know when it will happen. They will take us to Vladikavkaz, meaning they will help us cross the border, and after that, each of us will go home,” said Arthur.

It should be noted that due to the pandemic, they were unable to cross the border. Prior to going to Bagratashen, they held protests in front of the embassy to draw attention to their situation and facilitate their transfer to Russia; however, they received no response and were forced to take this step.

Currently, according to Arthur, there are 81 people in Bagratashen waiting for the possibility of being transferred to Russia. “If we stay here for another week, it’s quite possible that we won’t have enough money for the bus. The company that will transport us has agreed to charge us a minimal fee, understanding our situation,” Arthur said, adding that the previous group, which was transferred from Armenia to Russia, had their transportation costs covered by the embassy.

Those in Bagratashen had long registered to leave by plane, but their turn did not come up, forcing them to take this course of action.