Syunik governor reports placement of Armenian and Russian border guards near Shurnukh

Armenian and Russian border guards are being stationed in a disputed area near the village of Shurnukh, where Azerbaijani militaries have set up their post, Melikset Pogosyan, the governor of the Syunik Region has stated. According to his story, the Armenian party is fully controlling the situation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 24, 2020, Azerbaijani officials, according to the head of the Armenian village of Shurnukh, demarcated the border and demanded that a part of this village with 12 houses be transferred to Azerbaijan. On January 2, the headman of Shurnukh said that an Azerbaijani military post had been set up in the village, and residents of the eastern part of the village were ordered to move out by January 5.

Armenian militaries and border guards have left for the border; and detachments of Russian border troops are also there, Mr Pogosyan has stated, adding that border guards are placed on the border, including the disputed 21-kilometre-long section.

"We call on the local population not to succumb to provocations in order to avoid possible tensions. The armed forces of Armenia, Armenian and Russian border guards are fully controlling the situation," Melikset Pogosyan said in his statement.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 3, 2021 at 12:20 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.