Artsakh Blockade
Last updated: May 29, 2026
The Artsakh blockade began in December 2022 when Azerbaijani activists, later joined by military personnel, established a checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor , the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia. Over the following nine months, the blockade progressively tightened, cutting off gas, electricity, food deliveries, and medical evacuations. By the summer of 2023, the population of Artsakh was facing acute food shortages and a humanitarian emergency.
The blockade drew condemnation from Western governments and was the subject of proceedings at the International Court of Justice, which issued provisional measures ordering Azerbaijan to ensure free movement through the corridor. Those measures were not enforced. Russia’s peacekeeping contingent, which held a mandate to guarantee passage under the 2020 ceasefire, took no action to reopen the road. The United States and European Union issued statements but applied no meaningful pressure.
Azerbaijan’s military offensive on September 19, 2023 ended the blockade by ending the existence of Armenian Nagorno Karabakh entirely. Within three weeks, nearly the entire population of 150,000 Armenians had been driven from Artsakh to Armenia — what human rights organizations and international observers have characterized as ethnic cleansing. Groong covered the blockade in real time throughout its duration — the humanitarian conditions inside Artsakh, the diplomatic failures, and the eventual collapse.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Artsakh Blockade.
Benyamin Poghosyan - China Emerging on the Global Stage | Ep 244 - April 5, 2023 [EP244]
Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2023 | Category: China, Politics, Middle East, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Turkey, India, Artsakh Blockade, Ukraine, Israel, Economy, NATO, Syria, Geopolitics, Georgia, European Union | Series: cog
Guest:
Topics:
- What agreements were reached between China and Russia?
- What is the role of India in the new world order?
- Consequence of moving away from a dollar-denominated global economic order?
- China as peacemaker in Ukraine
- China as peacemaker in the Middle East
- China’s role in Iran and South Caucasus
- How should Armenia navigate world order changes?
Episode 244 | Recorded: April 5, 2023
Benyamin Poghosyan - China Emerging on the Global Stage | Ep 244 - April 5, 2023 [EP244]
Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2023 | Category: China, Politics, Middle East, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Turkey, India, Artsakh Blockade, Ukraine, Israel, Economy, NATO, Syria, Geopolitics, Georgia, European UnionGuest:
Topics:
- What agreements were reached between China and Russia?
- What is the role of India in the new world order?
- Consequence of moving away from a dollar-denominated global economic order?
- China as peacemaker in Ukraine
- China as peacemaker in the Middle East
- China’s role in Iran and South Caucasus
- How should Armenia navigate world order changes?
Episode 244 | Recorded: April 5, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 243, Apr 4, 2023 [EP243]
Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade | Series: artsakhblockade
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 243, Apr 4, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - April 4, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- The Current Living Conditions
- Complete gas cutoff for 2 weeks
- Weather clearing, rolling blackouts alleviate
- Young farmer hits landmine
- Azeris Tighten Blockade on March 25
- Situation with the Sarsang Reservoir
- Artsakh FM meets
French Delegation in Yerevan
- What do Western Statements mean to us?
- What do they signal to Azerbaijan?
Episode 243 | Recorded: April 4, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 243, Apr 4, 2023 [EP243]
Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh BlockadeArtsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 243, Apr 4, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - April 4, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- The Current Living Conditions
- Complete gas cutoff for 2 weeks
- Weather clearing, rolling blackouts alleviate
- Young farmer hits landmine
- Azeris Tighten Blockade on March 25
- Situation with the Sarsang Reservoir
- Artsakh FM meets
French Delegation in Yerevan
- What do Western Statements mean to us?
- What do they signal to Azerbaijan?
Episode 243 | Recorded: April 4, 2023
Azerbaijan Attacks Artsakh | East West Negotiation Platforms | Armenia and the Rome Statute | Ep 241 - Mar 26, 2023 [EP241]
Posted on Sunday, Mar 26, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Genocide, India, Ukraine, China, Geopolitics, Economy, NATO, Iran, Turkey | Series: wir
Guest:
Topic:
- Azerbaijani Attacks over the Weekend
- East and West
- Armenia and the Rome Statute
Episode 241 | Recorded: March 26, 2023
Azerbaijan Attacks Artsakh | East West Negotiation Platforms | Armenia and the Rome Statute | Ep 241 - Mar 26, 2023 [EP241]
Posted on Sunday, Mar 26, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Genocide, India, Ukraine, China, Geopolitics, Economy, NATO, Iran, TurkeyGuest:
Topic:
- Azerbaijani Attacks over the Weekend
- East and West
- Armenia and the Rome Statute
Episode 241 | Recorded: March 26, 2023
Pashinyan Press Conference | Belligerent Azerbaijan | Mirzoyan in Moscow | Yerevan Mayor | Ep 240 - Mar 19, 2023 [EP240]
Posted on Sunday, Mar 19, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, NATO, Turkey, India, China, Georgia, Israel, Ukraine | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Pashinyanâs Press Conference
- Negotiating with Belligerent Azerbaijan
- Mirzoyan in Moscow
- Mayoral Politics in Yerevan
Episode 240 | Recorded: March 20, 2023
Pashinyan Press Conference | Belligerent Azerbaijan | Mirzoyan in Moscow | Yerevan Mayor | Ep 240 - Mar 19, 2023 [EP240]
Posted on Sunday, Mar 19, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, NATO, Turkey, India, China, Georgia, Israel, UkraineGuest:
Topics:
- Pashinyanâs Press Conference
- Negotiating with Belligerent Azerbaijan
- Mirzoyan in Moscow
- Mayoral Politics in Yerevan
Episode 240 | Recorded: March 20, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 239, Mar 19, 2023 [EP239]
Posted on Sunday, Mar 19, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade | Series: artsakhblockade
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 239, Mar 19, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - March 19, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- The Current Living Conditions
- Gas, Power, Food, Weather
- Daily Ceasefire Violations
- Shooting at Civilians
- Heightened Threat of War
- Process of Constitutional Amendment
- Is Arayik Harutyunyan Planning to Resign?
- Will the Amendment Go Through?
- Negotiations with Azerbaijan
- Invitation to Negtiate âIntegrationâ in Baku
- Artsakh Demands that Armenia Respect its own Laws
- Artsakh Demands an International Platform for Negotiations
Episode 239 | Recorded: March 19, 2023