If this continues, the village will definitely be 100% empty. Kut's mayor

Residents of Kut village fear harvesting their hay with machinery and are forced to collect it by hand. This was stated by the mayor of Kut, Sima Chitchyan, in an interview with NEWS.am, describing how agricultural work in the village has become increasingly difficult after Azerbaijani soldiers positioned themselves near the village.

"Farmers are going out to cut grass in fear, not knowing what will happen next. They are cutting grass with scythes, afraid to bring machinery in case the enemy sees it. Azerbaijani forces have built positions there and set up tents; they have fully taken root. For now, they are only harvesting the grass, and we don't even know how we will transport it," she said.

Mrs. Chitchyan noted that there is no space left for grazing livestock, as the available pastures are close to enemy positions, and much of the grazing area has already been depleted.

The mayor indicated that the residents of Kut had hoped for the Russian peacekeepers to come and provide them with more security, but they have not arrived. "It's impossible to live like this; everywhere we look, there are their posts. Especially since they have even stolen our livestock, the residents are completely disheartened. They are still waiting to see what the Government will say about compensation, whether there will be any or not. One family owns 19 cows, and another has 18; this is no small matter; it's their entire livelihood, and there has been no help from the Government. In total, 80 cows have been taken from 5 families. Before the elections, they said that if they couldn't return the livestock, they would provide compensation, but there has been no communication since then,” she said in an interview with the news outlet.

Mrs. Chitchyan is sure that if the situation around the village does not get resolved, the residents will leave the village, as they primarily engage in livestock farming, which they can no longer do at all. "If the people living here are ignored like this, it’s clear that there will be no residents left. The school and houses in the village are under fire; every morning we go out, we see them, and until late at night, we see their lights. We are living in fear, relying on God to keep us safe as we try to hold the border. If that 5-family group leaves the village, the rest will go too. If this continues, the village will definitely be 100% empty," Chitchyan stated.

It should be noted that since May 12, the enemy has violated the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, advancing several kilometers in the Syunik and Gegharkunik regions, claiming that it is their territory and therefore will not withdraw. In the Gegharkunik region, the enemy has advanced towards the villages of Kut, Azat, Norabak, and Verin Shorja.