What Happened in Aragatsavan and Who Remained on the Other Side of the Border: New Details

Reports have circulated on social media and news outlets about local farmers in Aragatsavan village of Aragatsotn Province being taken captive by Turkish border guards along with their livestock. It was later reported that, through the mediation of Russian border guards, the captives were released, followed by the return of their animals.

Arthur Hovsepyan, the mayor of the enlarged community of Aragatsavan, told Civic.am that workers employed at a farm located near the Turkish border, where access is controlled by Russian border guards and requires a pass, remain stuck on the other side of the border. Following this, an alert was issued, prompting the Russian border guards to respond and return the workers to Armenian territory.

It should be noted that Aragatsotn Governor Sergey Movsesyan denied the rumors in an interview with Auroranews.am regarding the claims that “Turks had captured shepherds who crossed the border in Talin's Aragatsavan village.” The governor's office stated, “We do not exclude that the false alert might have been a malicious and unreasonable act by someone or a group of individuals.”