“Russians Are Forming Convoys and Escorting Them”: Kapan Mayor on Current Situation on Goris-Kapan Road

I am aware that citizens are avoiding traveling on the Goris-Kapan road during the night hours as they do not want to take risks. This was stated by Kapan Mayor Gevorg Parsyan in an interview with NEWS.am, referring to the situation on the sections of the interstate road that are under the control of Azerbaijani border guards and police forces.

When asked about the recent situation on that section of the road, from which two Armenian youths had gone missing and ended up under Azerbaijani control, the mayor found it difficult to comment. “In such situations, of course, people will avoid passing through that section and will instead use alternative routes like the Tatev-Agvani road. However, there is an important issue—besides having an alternative route, it is very important to construct alternative sections for the problematic areas of the Goris-Kapan interstate road. This can be done technically, which is very important. We must not allow this section of the Goris-Kapan road to remain in such a condition; this road must be utilized, as there are settlements. We cannot just abandon these settlements,” emphasized Parsyan.

The Kapan mayor reported that after yesterday’s incident, the Armenian vehicles have passed through a 3-4 kilometer stretch of the Goris-Kapan interstate road, from Vorotan to the area known as “Goris’s Gaps,” under escort by Russian border guards. “The Russians are forming vehicle convoys and escorting them, comprising 10 to 20 vehicles,” Parsyan noted. As of now, according to the Kapan mayor, this solution has been found, but whether it will be permanent is not known to him.

It is worth noting that according to a report released by the NSS, on September 18, two residents of the Kasakh community of the Kotayk region deviated from the main road while traveling on the Goris-Vorotan road and ended up in an area under Azerbaijani control. According to a press release issued later that evening, as a result of efforts by the NSS of Armenia and the Russian Federal Security Service’s border guards, the Azerbaijani side returned the individuals at 23:45.