Nagorno Karabakh
Last updated: May 29, 2026
The Nagorno Karabakh conflict — also known as the Artsakh conflict, and in official Azerbaijani and international usage as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict — has been the central subject of Groong’s coverage since the podcast launched. With more than 450 episodes addressing the dispute in whole or in part, this archive represents one of the most comprehensive English-language audio records of the conflict’s recent history.
At its core, the conflict was not simply a territorial dispute between two states. The Armenian population of Artsakh — the Republic of Artsakh — was asserting its right to self-determination, a principle recognized in international law and enshrined in the UN Charter. That claim stood in direct tension with Azerbaijan’s insistence on its territorial integrity and the inviolability of Soviet-era administrative borders. The failure to resolve that tension through diplomacy over three decades ultimately ended in war.
Groong covered the 44-Day War of September–November 2020, in which Azerbaijan retook large portions of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) with Turkish military support, and the November 9, 2020 ceasefire brokered by Russia. That ceasefire created an unstable status quo: the Republic of Artsakh continued to exist on a reduced territory under the protection of Russian peacekeepers, but Azerbaijan progressively tightened its grip. The nine-month blockade of the Lachin Corridor from December 2022 onward cut the region off from food, medicine, and fuel, creating a humanitarian crisis documented in real time on Groong.
Azerbaijan’s military offensive of September 19–20, 2023 ended Armenian governance of Nagorno-Karabakh entirely. Within three weeks, virtually the entire Armenian population of Artsakh at the time — some 120,000 people, the descendants of communities that had lived in the region for millenia — was driven from the Republic of Artsakh to Armenia. Human rights organizations and many governments characterized this as ethnic cleansing. The Azerbaijani government dissolved the Republic of Artsakh on January 1, 2024.
Groong’s ongoing coverage addresses the situation of Armenian prisoners of war still held in Baku, including former Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan , the right of return for the displaced population, ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations , and the prospects for accountability for what occurred.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Nagorno Karabakh.
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Day 264 - Ep 276, September 2, 2023 [EP276]
Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenia, Russia, Geopolitics | Series: artsakhblockade
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Day 264 - Ep 276, September 1, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - September 1, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Arayik Harutyunyan resignation
- Samvel Shahramanyan state minister
- Kirill Kulakov new commander of Russian PKs
- September 2 - 32nd anniversary
Episode 276 | Recorded: September 1, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Day 264 - Ep 276, September 2, 2023 [EP276]
Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenia, Russia, GeopoliticsArtsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Day 264 - Ep 276, September 1, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - September 1, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Arayik Harutyunyan resignation
- Samvel Shahramanyan state minister
- Kirill Kulakov new commander of Russian PKs
- September 2 - 32nd anniversary
Episode 276 | Recorded: September 1, 2023
Tevan Poghosyan - UNSC Meeting on Karabakh | Artsakh Internal Developments | Yerevan Elections | Ep 275 - August 20, 2023 [EP275]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 22, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Genocide, Ukraine | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- UNSC Meeting on Artsakh
- Artsakh Internal Developments
- Yerevan Elections
Episode 275 | Recorded: August 22, 2023
Tevan Poghosyan - UNSC Meeting on Karabakh | Artsakh Internal Developments | Yerevan Elections | Ep 275 - August 20, 2023 [EP275]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 22, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Genocide, UkraineGuest:
Topics:
- UNSC Meeting on Artsakh
- Artsakh Internal Developments
- Yerevan Elections
Episode 275 | Recorded: August 22, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 274, August 19, 2023 [EP274]
Posted on Sunday, Aug 20, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide | Series: artsakhblockade
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 274, August 19, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - August 19, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Latest Developments around Artsakh
- Kidnapping of People at Checkpoints
- Cases of Starvation, Miscarriages
- UNSC Discussion of ArtsakhÂ
- Lack of a Resolution and Follow-Through
- Armeniaâs Diplomatic Failures
- New Artsakh parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan
- Internet Stoppage, Food, Gas, Electricity Shortages
- Continuing Azeri Aggression, troop movements and Buildup
Episode 274 | Recorded: August 19, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 274, August 19, 2023 [EP274]
Posted on Sunday, Aug 20, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh Blockade, GenocideArtsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 274, August 19, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - August 19, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Latest Developments around Artsakh
- Kidnapping of People at Checkpoints
- Cases of Starvation, Miscarriages
- UNSC Discussion of ArtsakhÂ
- Lack of a Resolution and Follow-Through
- Armeniaâs Diplomatic Failures
- New Artsakh parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan
- Internet Stoppage, Food, Gas, Electricity Shortages
- Continuing Azeri Aggression, troop movements and Buildup
Episode 274 | Recorded: August 19, 2023
Hrant Mikaelian - Situation in Artsakh | Yerevan Elections Heating Up | MPG Poll Outtakes | MPG Poll on Yerevan Elections [EP273]
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 16, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Turkey, Economy, Ukraine, China, Georgia, India, Iran | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Situation in Artsakh
- Yerevan Elections Heating Up
- July MPG Survey Outtakes
- August MPG Survey Outtakes
- Baku Poll
- Thoughts on the Economy
Episode 273 | Recorded: August 15, 2023
Hrant Mikaelian - Situation in Artsakh | Yerevan Elections Heating Up | MPG Poll Outtakes | MPG Poll on Yerevan Elections [EP273]
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 16, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Turkey, Economy, Ukraine, China, Georgia, India, IranGuest:
Topics:
- Situation in Artsakh
- Yerevan Elections Heating Up
- July MPG Survey Outtakes
- August MPG Survey Outtakes
- Baku Poll
- Thoughts on the Economy
Episode 273 | Recorded: August 15, 2023
Sergei Melkonian - War of Words with Russia | Iran's Diplomatic Perspective | Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Artsakh: New Parliament Speaker [EP272]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 8, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Geopolitics, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Ukraine, Syria, NATO, Israel, India, Lebanon, Middle East | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- War of Words with Russia
- Iran’s Diplomatic Perspective
- Armenian-Azerbaijani Negotiations
- Artsakh: New Parliament Speaker
Episode 272 | Recorded: August 7, 2023