Certain Observations on Where Russian Border Guards May Be Deployed: Sanosyan

A firefight occurred last night near the position where combat operations took place yesterday, resulting in one injury, specifically in the shoulder area. The individual has been operated on and is doing well. This was reported by the Governor of Gegharkunik Province, Gnel Sanosyan, during a briefing with journalists.

Sanosyan noted that Russian peacekeepers have not yet been deployed in that section. When asked about the outcome of negotiations with the Russian border guards, Sanosyan stated, “I cannot disclose the details of the negotiation process as it is not my official responsibility, but I can say that there has been and continues to be a certain process. There have been specific observations on where the border guards might be stationed.”

Regarding why the area around the village of Kut is closed to journalists since yesterday, the governor mentioned that this decision was made for security reasons. “There has been a certain advancement in the Kut area since May 12, and considering the border incident, such a decision was made. The evacuation of employees from the Sotk mine was also made for the same security reasons; the mine is currently not operational. When security issues are resolved, work will resume,” he stated.

When asked what the terms of the ceasefire established yesterday were and whether the Armenian side made any concessions in return, Sanosyan replied, “I am not aware of the conditions, I do not know if there was an agreement or not. I know that as a result of trilateral negotiations, it was decided that fire should cease at a specific time and a ceasefire should be confirmed.”

Sanosyan also addressed the issue faced by the residents of the province, who are currently selling their livestock due to a lack of grazing areas, putting them in a serious predicament. “It is not that they do not have grazing areas, but there are grazing areas from which it is difficult to benefit, which has led to a reduction in the size of the grazing lands. In some locations, we have cooperated with the army corps, and with their help, they are able to utilize the grazing areas,” Sanosyan noted.

As for organizing a safe educational process for students starting in September amid the current situation, Sanosyan mentioned that no such discussions have taken place yet. “There have been cases where, in such situations, we have moved to remote learning; as the days approach, we will make a decision based on the situation,” he concluded.