Russian Peacekeepers Face Armenian Drivers with Indifference: 'Bodies, Weapons, Prisoners?'

At the Shushi-Stepanakert checkpoint, a Russian peacekeeper questions with indifference, "Bodies, Weapons, Prisoners?" As the driver reassures him that none of those items are present in the vehicle, the peacekeeper responds, "Go ahead, and have a safe journey." The peacekeepers also inquire how many people are in the vehicle, where they are going, and where they are coming from, reports Aravot.am.

It is at this checkpoint that we encounter Azerbaijani soldiers up close. One road leads to Shushi, while the other leads to Stepanakert. On the right side of the road coming from Yerevan, the Azerbaijani military base is positioned, and on the left side when exiting Stepanakert. Although the Azerbaijani soldiers stand behind barriers, they are not so high as to obstruct the visibility of interactions between Armenians and Russian peacekeepers. If young men are in the vehicle, some Azerbaijani soldiers make remarks under their breath.

Our boys, as they say, do not remain silent, responding even if it is just with gestures. This indicates a silent conflict exists. However, overall, the situation on the road remains calm, and there is no heightened tension. Only those traveling to Artsakh for the first time since the war appear nervous. Especially after the "clarifications" of Armenia's borders, it seems that Azerbaijani soldiers are stationed on every hill or will pop out from behind every bush, regardless of the fact that those hills and bushes are located in Armenian territory. Perhaps this explains why we ask our driver, who travels the Yerevan-Stepanakert route almost every day, questions about which hill or valley belongs to us.

The media reports that there are around 6-7 military checkpoints before reaching Stepanakert. The first checkpoint, where vehicles and citizens undergo thorough checks, is located on the Goris-Lachin road before reaching Berdzor. Here, Armenian border guards conduct inspections, requiring documents from everyone in the vehicle, as well as from the vehicle itself. In cases where a citizen lacks identification, especially a passport, they may face difficulties and even be compelled to turn back. They explain that this is for the safety of Artsakh residents.

The second checkpoint is at the customs point in Artsakh, where Russian peacekeepers are also stationed. Since the war, the customs point has not yet resumed operations. The third checkpoint is in Berdzor, in a location referred to as “koltsevoy.” Here, peacekeepers have an expanded presence to ensure the security of the Lachin corridor. There is more equipment here than at regular checkpoints or different parts of the road. Similar to the Shushi checkpoint, there arises a need to close the road during the day or week to allow for the rotation of Azerbaijani soldiers. If at the Shushi checkpoint Azerbaijani soldiers are permitted to exit their vehicles and walk within their territory, at the Berdzor “koltsevoy,” they are prohibited from disembarking from their vehicles. Russian peacekeepers cordon off the area until the convoy passes.

The remaining checkpoints, manned by Russian peacekeepers, are located along different sections of the Lachin-Stepanakert highway, where vehicles are not even stopped.

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