Do You Know What a Humiliation That Was? How Armenians Live Along the New Border with Azerbaijan - BBC Coverage

The BBC's Russian service reporters traveled along the new border in Armenia to observe how locals are living with their new neighbors. The BBC focused on the Syunik region, which has become adjacent to Azerbaijan after the war, and spoke with residents and Russian border guards who reported that they, rather than the Armenian government, inform the local population about changes along the border areas.

“The Azerbaijanis know exactly what they want and will stubbornly fight to the end for any disputed position. On the Armenian side, we do not see such readiness,” said one of the Russian border guards.

During the Soviet years, roads were built based on convenience, ignoring the administrative borders of the republics. When the USSR collapsed, the first war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan, resulting in Baku losing control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh but also seven surrounding regions. After the autumn war in 2020, in which Armenia had already lost, those regions came under Azerbaijani control. The road from Goris to Kapan now veers towards areas occupied by Azerbaijan. Immediately after the war, Azerbaijani military personnel set up several signs along that road stating, "Welcome to Azerbaijan!" And despite the fact that Azerbaijanis do not use this road, they still place such symbolic reminders for the defeated opponent.

According to BBC observations, the Azerbaijani positions that have emerged in various parts of Syunik have created problems for local residents. For example, while it used to take just 10 minutes to reach the village of Agarak from Kapan, now one must take a different route, making the journey last 40 minutes because Azerbaijanis are shooting in the direction of the former road.

Approximately 800 people have relocated from the regions returned under Azerbaijani control to Kapan. Eight families, who fled from Hadrut, Zangezur, and Minjivan, are currently living in a former boarding school in Kapan.

“Putin offered to cease hostilities on the fourth day, but Pashinyan said he would fight to the end. And now, what is left of Nagorno-Karabakh?” laments Valeri Gasparyan, who was forced to leave Hadrut, where he had lived for 20 years. His eldest son continues to serve in the Nagorno-Karabakh army, while his younger son took part in combat and was injured. Gasparyan does not know how long they will have to stay here. “Thanks to the kind person who settled us here, otherwise we would have had to sleep under the open sky.”

The new Armenia-Azerbaijan border has almost bisected the village of Shurnukh. About 80 people live in Shurnukh, in 35 houses. At the end of December, a delegation consisting of three Azerbaijani generals, one Russian general, and a lieutenant colonel from the Armenian army arrived here. They informed the residents that 11 houses are now situated in Azerbaijani territory and this issue needs to be resolved.

“One of those generals told me, ‘This is now Azerbaijani land.’ The only colonel from our side remained silent. Do you know what a humiliation that was?” recounts village chief Hakob, who was forced to leave his home and move with his family to the village administration building.

The displaced residents do not pay for electricity or gas; they are provided with food supplies. People receive a pension of 35,000 drams, whereas renting an apartment in Kapan costs 50,000 drams. When asked what they want the most now, people say that their primary desire is to bring back the captives. The search for the deceased and the return of prisoners remain the most painful topics in the country three months after the end of the war. There is still a need to provide all refugees with new housing.