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.
Arman Tatoyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 9 [EP187]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 20, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights, Genocide | Series: cog, video
“This is the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Artsakhâ -Arman Tatoyan
Guest:
- Arman Tatoyan , is the former ombudsman of the Republic of Armenia. Currently actively pursues human rights for Armenians in the republics of Armenia and Artsakh, especially through his foundation, the âTatoyanâ Center for Law and Justice.
Topic:
This is Day 9 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.
As we are recording this discussion, more than 120 thousand people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh). For 9 days, Azerbaijan has brazenly blocked
Read MoreArman Tatoyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 9 [EP187]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 20, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights, Genocide“This is the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Artsakhâ -Arman Tatoyan
Guest:
- Arman Tatoyan , is the former ombudsman of the Republic of Armenia. Currently actively pursues human rights for Armenians in the republics of Armenia and Artsakh, especially through his foundation, the âTatoyanâ Center for Law and Justice.
Topic:
This is Day 9 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.
As we are recording this discussion, more than 120 thousand people remain trapped in the Republic of Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh). For 9 days, Azerbaijan has brazenly blocked
Read MoreHrant Mikaelian: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 8 [EP186]
Posted on Monday, Dec 19, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, European Union, Geopolitics, Israel | Series: cog, video
Guest:
- Hrant Mikaelian , a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute.
“The full state-led attack against Artsakh and Armenia, which no-one in Europe condemned, was a case where the military solution worked. From 2020 onwards, many actors in the world see that you can attack and get away with it.”
Topic:
This is Day 8 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan. 120 thousand people are effectively being held hostage by the regime in Baku.
Groong and 168 Hours are continuing our
Read MoreHrant Mikaelian: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 8 [EP186]
Posted on Monday, Dec 19, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, European Union, Geopolitics, IsraelGuest:
- Hrant Mikaelian , a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute.
“The full state-led attack against Artsakh and Armenia, which no-one in Europe condemned, was a case where the military solution worked. From 2020 onwards, many actors in the world see that you can attack and get away with it.”
Topic:
This is Day 8 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan. 120 thousand people are effectively being held hostage by the regime in Baku.
Groong and 168 Hours are continuing our
Read MoreArthur Khachikyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 6 [EP185]
Posted on Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Israel, China, Economy, India | Series: cog, video
Guest:
- Arthur Khachikyan , PhD is an International Relations expert from Stanford University, specializing in Intervention. He currently teaches at the Russian Armenian University in Yerevan.
Topic:
Weâre going on to Day 6 of the Artsakh Blockade by Azerbaijan, and Groong and 168 Hours are teaming up to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious issue, a major humanitarian crisis in Artsakh in progress.
“We somehow have this complex. We think weâre the sleeping beauty and the west is going to come and save us. And every time that it
Read MoreArthur Khachikyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 6 [EP185]
Posted on Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Israel, China, Economy, IndiaGuest:
- Arthur Khachikyan , PhD is an International Relations expert from Stanford University, specializing in Intervention. He currently teaches at the Russian Armenian University in Yerevan.
Topic:
Weâre going on to Day 6 of the Artsakh Blockade by Azerbaijan, and Groong and 168 Hours are teaming up to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious issue, a major humanitarian crisis in Artsakh in progress.
“We somehow have this complex. We think weâre the sleeping beauty and the west is going to come and save us. And every time that it
Read MoreԱրցախը Շրջափակման Մեջ: Օր 4 | Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 4 [EP184]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Politics, In Armenian, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Artsakh Blockade | Series: cog
Guest:
«ÕÕ¡ ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¸Õ£ÖÕ¸ÖÕ« Ö Õ¸Õ£Õ¥Õ·Õ¶Õ¹Õ« ÕµÕ¸ÖÖÕ¡ÖÕ¡Õ¶Õ¹ÕµÕ¸ÖÖ Õ°Õ¡ÕµÕ« Ö ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¶Õ¸Ö Õ©Õ¡Ö Õ°Õ¡Õ²Õ¸ÖÕ¤Õ« Õ´Õ¥Ö Õ¡ÕµÕ¶ 30 Õ¿Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶Õ¥ÖÕ« ÕºÕ¡ÕµÖÕ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶, Õ¸ÖÕ¨ Õ¤Õ¥Õ¼ÖÕ½ Õ¹Õ¥Õ¶Ö Õ¡Õ¾Õ¡ÖÕ¿Õ¥Õ¬:»
Episode 184 | Recorded: December 15, 2022
Արցախը Շրջափակման Մեջ: Օր 4 | Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 4 [EP184]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Politics, In Armenian, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Artsakh BlockadeGuest:
«ÕÕ¡ ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¸Õ£ÖÕ¸ÖÕ« Ö Õ¸Õ£Õ¥Õ·Õ¶Õ¹Õ« ÕµÕ¸ÖÖÕ¡ÖÕ¡Õ¶Õ¹ÕµÕ¸ÖÖ Õ°Õ¡ÕµÕ« Ö ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¶Õ¸Ö Õ©Õ¡Ö Õ°Õ¡Õ²Õ¸ÖÕ¤Õ« Õ´Õ¥Ö Õ¡ÕµÕ¶ 30 Õ¿Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶Õ¥ÖÕ« ÕºÕ¡ÕµÖÕ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶, Õ¸ÖÕ¨ Õ¤Õ¥Õ¼ÖÕ½ Õ¹Õ¥Õ¶Ö Õ¡Õ¾Õ¡ÖÕ¿Õ¥Õ¬:»
Episode 184 | Recorded: December 15, 2022
Gev Iskajyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 3 [EP183]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Human Rights, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade | Series: cog
Guest:
For three days now the campaign instigated by the government of Azerbaijan has prevented the freedom of movement of Armenians of Artsakh. Gas supplies have also been cut off.
âArtsakh is still Armenian land. Artsakh is still an independent republic. Artsakh is not gone. … We have to hold on to what remains of this land here.â - Gev Iskajyan
Episode 183 | Recorded: December 14, 2022