Haymaking Under Enemy Fire in Blockaded Khoznavar

The enemy continues to keep the village of Khoznavar in the Syunik region under blockade from three sides. Azerbaijani forces have established positions on all heights near Lake Sev, which have been occupied since the first days of the incursion.

“The village and the main road leading to Goris are monitored from 6-7 enemy positions. There is a position on the height about 700 meters from the road, from where any point in the village is visible. If we look in a straight line, the Azerbaijanis are positioned about 800 meters from the houses, but I repeat, that is the straight-line distance,” said Varo Grigoryan, the former administrative head of Khoznavar, in an interview with “Factinfo.”

All heights adjacent to Lake Sev continue to be monitored by the enemy, as Grigoryan noted. More than 250 hectares of pastures and 90 hectares of meadows have been seized from the administrative territory of Khoznavar and are also under enemy control.

“We have a small plot in the village, which we have turned into a pasture, and we mainly graze our livestock there. There are about 30 heads of cattle, and each is taken to pasture for several days. Those who cannot take them go to the barn. Mainly, it is the calves that are kept in the barn,” the former administrative head noted.

The remaining part of the meadows is being used by the villagers. Grigoryan emphasizes that these areas are under enemy fire, but people do not pay attention; they go and make hay, as they have no other option. This year, even agricultural machinery has entered the area.

Grigoryan states that the year is fruitful, and if luck is on their side, they will also harvest wheat. “We have sown about 40-50 hectares of wheat. A French organization brought seeds and distributed them, and that is what we planted. We sowed in the fall, and now it can be seen that a good harvest is expected. It remains to be seen if we can manage to harvest,” Grigoryan said.

As for road safety, no one has any hope left. A somewhat reassuring circumstance is that our forces have also established positions. Grigoryan mentions that there is another road a bit lower than the main road, which connects to the highway, but it is also monitored by the enemy. “This road is a couple of kilometers shorter, but it goes through fields and is not convenient; besides, it is being observed again. At least our forces are standing on the main road. That’s why we use the main road,” concluded the village's former administrative head.