"It's truly unbearable to be captive on your own land; everyone wants to live, yet the possibility of life is uncertain"

"The word "blockade" encapsulates the most challenging aspect of this situation. It's an immensely challenging feeling when profound reflection leads you to realize that you're held hostage within your own home," Ani Lazaryan,17, from the village of Vank, Martakert region, Artsakh describes her feelings. I've spoken with many people about the daily hardships and the inhumane conditions under the blockade in Artsakh. Ani, in fact, can not share anything new, so our conversation revolves more around the people and her psychological state. She conveys that the feeling of being captive on your own land is simply unbearable, yet at the same time, it's a reality that's difficult to accept.

Ani emphasizes that the blockade is truly devastating, as everyone desires to live, yet the possibility of life itself is uncertain.

#BlockadeFromTheInside

"I don't want my children to starve, to be subjected to genocide, I want to live in Artsakh, to build our Homeland"

Liana Voskanyan, a mother of six, residing in Stepanakert, must juggle multiple jobs to meet their needs. Amidst the blockade, it becomes exceptionally challenging. Due to the closure of the road connecting Artsakh with Armenia, the father of Liana's children, is in Yerevan and unable to join the family. Liana shoulders the responsibility of caring for her children: three boys aged 15, 11, and 9, two girls aged 13 and 3, along with a six-month-old newborn named Avetis, all on her own.

Liana, an actress with 28 years of service at the Stepanakert Drama Theater named after V. Papazyan, now also works at a bakery and provides makeup services in order to meet her financial needs. The cost of living in Artsakh is high.

#BlockadeFromTheInside

‼️ This morning, the Armenian Ministry of Defense reported that on September 1, at 07:50, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense initiated intensive fire targeting Armenian positions in the direction of Sotk.

♦️ As of 12:25, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces commenced firing with small arms upon Armenian positions situated in the direction of Norabak.

♦️ Around 12:50, Azerbaijani Armed Forces deployed UAVs and mortar fire towards the Sotk area.

♦️ Following the monitoring efforts by the relevant units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, observations have revealed the concentration of military equipment and the arrival of additional personnel from the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan in the Sotk area.

♦️ As of 14:15, there has been a reduction in the intensity of fire from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces directed towards Armenian positions in both the Sotk and Norabak areas.

🪖 Based on the situation as of 11:00, due to the shelling by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on Armenian positions in the Sotk area, the Armenian side has reported 2 casualties and 1 wounded.

As of 14:50, the situation remains relatively stable, with a continued decrease in the intensity of the fire. [RA MoD]

‼️Due to the Azerbaijani provocation, the Armenian side has reported 4 killed and 1 wounded. [RA MoD]

📌 As of 17:30, the situation on the frontline is relatively stable. [RA MoD]

‼️ On September 2, between 16:00 and 16:10, Azerbaijani armed forces units fired from fire arms towards the Armenian combat outposts nearby Norabak. [RA MoD]

‼️ An air alarm went off in Stepanakert. Our sources within Artsakh have reported continuous sounds of explosions emanating from the neighboring territories.

🗣️ Ruben Vardanyan, currently in Artsakh, wrote: "A significant artillery barrage has commenced in our vicinity."

🇦🇿🗣️ The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has announced that "local counter-terrorism operations have commenced in the region to safeguard the well-being of Azerbaijani military personnel and reinstate constitutional order in Azerbaijan."

📌 According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, the command of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation and the leadership of the Turkish-Russian monitoring center were informed about the measures taken.

🗣️ From the window of my house in Stepanakert I see smoke on the hill in front of me. I hear shots from a machine gun nearby, sound of UAV. Artillery continuously fires for about forty minutes.

[Journalist Marut Vanyan]

❗️Our sources in Artsakh report that the enemy is targeting not only Stepanakert, but also Martakert.

📌 As part of the measures with the use of ultra-precise weapons on the front line and in depth, the positions of the groups of the Armenian armed forces, their long-range firing points, as well as military equipment and facilities are being put out of action. [Azerbaijani MoD]

‼️Journalist Marut Vanyan published a video from Stepanakert.

‼️As of 14:00, the situation on the borders of the Republic of Armenia is relatively stable. [Armenian Ministry of Defense]

🗣️ The genocidal regime of Aliyev started the bloody phase of the genocide of the Artsakh people after a long phase of starvation.
Are these your guarantees of rights and security, Russia, US, EU. [Artak Beglaryan wrote on X]

‼️ Today at around 13:00, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact by launching rocket and artillery strikes. [Artsakh Defense Army]

🗣️ The Artsakh Defense Army is fighting hard in different directions of the front, in several places, the enemy's break-in was stopped by intense fire.

❗️Russia, which has a military presence in Artsakh, must take clear and substantive actions to stop the war and bring Azerbaijan back to the negotiating table. Russia has not yet responded to the statements of the official Baku on the fact that Russian peacekeepers were also informed about the operation.

[Tigran Abrahamyan, MP of the "With Honor" faction of RA NA]

🇷🇺🗣️ Now we are in contact with both sides. I think that as a result of the contacts, a corresponding statement will be made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. [Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the Russian MFA]

🇪🇺🗣️ Tragic reports of loss of Azerbaijani lives from mine explosions today. However, ongoing military action will only worsen the situation. Urgent need for immediate ceasefire to allow genuine dialogue between Baku and Karabakh Armenians as only way to achieve peaceful coexistence. [Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia]