Nagorno Karabakh

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.

Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 231, Feb 24, 2023 [EP231]

Posted on Friday, Feb 24, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Armenia

Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 231, Feb 24, 2023

Armenian News Network Groong - Feb 24, 2023

Guest:

Gev Iskajyan

Topics:

Rouben Vardanyan sacked in Stepanakert
Samuel Babayan in Artsakh
Azeri and Artsakh reps meet to resume Gas & Electricity
- Further Azeri demands, Artsakh red lines
Medical topics

Episode 231 | Recorded: February 24, 2023

Suren Sargsyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 72 [EP228]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh Blockade, 168am, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Middle East | Series: cog, video

Guests:

Suren Sargsyan , founder and a President at the Armenian Center for American Studies, a research center based in Yerevan.

“Pashinyanâs participation in Munich Security Conference didnât give anything to Armenia” - Suren Sargsyan

Topic:

Today is day 72 of the total blockade of Artsakh. For 72 days, the 120K citizens of Artsakh have not had the ability to enter or exit their country. They are deprived of the ability to visit Armenia or to receive guests from Armenia. With very limited supplies, they are forced to ration food with the help of food stamps in order to