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.
William Bairamian, Arthur Khachikyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 31 [EP199]
Posted on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Diaspora, Artsakh Blockade, Turkey, Azerbaijan, NATO, Ukraine, Georgia, Economy, European Union, China, Genocide, Middle East
Guests:
- William Bairamian , founder and editor of The Armenite. He has written extensively on Armenian politics, culture, and society. He received degrees in international affairs from Columbia University and UCLA.
- Arthur Khachikyan , International Relations expert from Stanford University, specializing in Intervention. He currently teaches at the Russian Armenian University in Yerevan.
âThis is a repeat of Srebrenica. To gradually strangle and force the people to leave.â -Arthur Khachikyan
Topic:
More than 120,000 people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh)
Read MoreHovhannes Ishkanyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 25 [EP198]
Posted on Thursday, Jan 5, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Genocide, Ukraine, China, Georgia, NATO, Syria, European Union, Iran, Israel | Series: cog, video
Guest:
- Hovhannes Ishkhanyan , writer, documentary filmmaker, publicist, co-founder of Eye for an Eye (Akn Und Akan), a community of documentarians. Hovhannes has a Master’s in journalism from the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs.
Using art to prevent catastrophes instead of reacting to them
Ishkhanyan’s documentary “Sleep art”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzqzPpVsK-g
Topic:
More than 120,000 people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh) due to Azerbaijanâs blockade of the Lachin (Berdzor) corridor, as this crisis enters its 25th
Read MoreHovhannes Ishkanyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 25 [EP198]
Posted on Thursday, Jan 5, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Genocide, Ukraine, China, Georgia, NATO, Syria, European Union, Iran, IsraelGuest:
- Hovhannes Ishkhanyan , writer, documentary filmmaker, publicist, co-founder of Eye for an Eye (Akn Und Akan), a community of documentarians. Hovhannes has a Master’s in journalism from the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs.
Using art to prevent catastrophes instead of reacting to them
Ishkhanyan’s documentary “Sleep art”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzqzPpVsK-g
Topic:
More than 120,000 people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh) due to Azerbaijanâs blockade of the Lachin (Berdzor) corridor, as this crisis enters its 25th
Read MoreReflections on Artsakh Blockade | Is Russia Pressuring Armenia to join Union State | Bill to Control Internet during Martial Law | Highlights and Lowlights of 2022 | Predictions for 2023 [EP197]
Posted on Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Artsakh Blockade, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, European Union, Genocide, Israel, Economy, Georgia, Human Rights | Series: wir
Guest:
Topic:
- Hovikâs Reflections from the Artsakh Blockade Interviews
- Is Russia Pressuring Armenia to join a âUnion Stateâ?
- Government Bill to Control the Internet During Martial Law
- Highlights and Lowlights from Armenian News in 2022
- Predictions for 2023
Episode 197 | Recorded: January 3, 2023
Reflections on Artsakh Blockade | Is Russia Pressuring Armenia to join Union State | Bill to Control Internet during Martial Law | Highlights and Lowlights of 2022 | Predictions for 2023 [EP197]
Posted on Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Artsakh Blockade, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, European Union, Genocide, Israel, Economy, Georgia, Human RightsGuest:
Topic:
- Hovikâs Reflections from the Artsakh Blockade Interviews
- Is Russia Pressuring Armenia to join a âUnion Stateâ?
- Government Bill to Control the Internet During Martial Law
- Highlights and Lowlights from Armenian News in 2022
- Predictions for 2023
Episode 197 | Recorded: January 3, 2023
Karen Vrtanesyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 19 [EP196]
Posted on Friday, Dec 30, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, NATO, Syria | Series: cog, video
Guest:
- Karen Vrtanesyan , expert on military and warfare strategies with a focus on Armenia and its neighboring region. Co-founder of the website razm.info.
“This is not a humanitarian crisis. This is a political crisis, a crisis of statehood. -Karen Vrtanesyan”
Topic:
This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian crisis in progress.
Links:
- 168 Hours: https://168.am
- Groong: https://podcasts.groong.org
Episode 196 | Recorded: December 30, 2022
Karen Vrtanesyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 19 [EP196]
Posted on Friday, Dec 30, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, NATO, SyriaGuest:
- Karen Vrtanesyan , expert on military and warfare strategies with a focus on Armenia and its neighboring region. Co-founder of the website razm.info.
“This is not a humanitarian crisis. This is a political crisis, a crisis of statehood. -Karen Vrtanesyan”
Topic:
This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian crisis in progress.
Links:
- 168 Hours: https://168.am
- Groong: https://podcasts.groong.org
Episode 196 | Recorded: December 30, 2022
Benyamin Poghosyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 16 [EP195]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 27, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Ukraine, Geopolitics, Israel, Genocide, Georgia, Middle East | Series: cog, video
Guest:
- Benyamin Poghosyan , Chairman of the Yerevan based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.
“Aliyev’s strategy is ’no Armenians, no problems’. What is our strategy?” -Benyamin Poghosyan
Topic:
More than 120,000 people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh) due to Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin corridor, as this crisis enters its 16th day.
This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this
Read MoreBenyamin Poghosyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 16 [EP195]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 27, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Ukraine, Geopolitics, Israel, Genocide, Georgia, Middle EastGuest:
- Benyamin Poghosyan , Chairman of the Yerevan based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.
“Aliyev’s strategy is ’no Armenians, no problems’. What is our strategy?” -Benyamin Poghosyan
Topic:
More than 120,000 people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh) due to Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin corridor, as this crisis enters its 16th day.
This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this
Read More