Tag: Syunik
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Syunik is Armenia’s southernmost province, bordering Iran to the south and containing the cities of Goris and Kapan. It became a flashpoint in the post-2020 period for two related reasons: Azerbaijani demands for a transit corridor through its territory, and the ongoing encroachment of Azerbaijani forces on Armenian sovereign territory along its eastern and northern edges.
The proposed Zangezur Corridor — which Azerbaijan and Turkey have pushed for to connect Azerbaijan proper to the Nakhijevan exclave without crossing Armenian customs or security checkpoints — would run through Syunik. Armenia has consistently rejected extraterritorial corridor arrangements, insisting that any road or rail links operate under Armenian sovereignty and law. The dispute over this corridor has been one of the most contentious elements of the peace process.
Since 2021, Azerbaijani forces have occupied positions on Armenian sovereign territory in the Syunik region, including areas around Goris that effectively severed the direct road to Kapan for a period. The military pressure on Syunik is part of the broader pattern of Azerbaijani land seizures on Armenian territory that continued even after the 44-Day War ceasefire. Groong episodes covering Syunik address the corridor dispute, border security, and the strategic significance of Armenia’s southern corridor for its relationship with Iran.
Hrant Mikaelian | Artsakh Blockade | Pashinyan Press Conference | Ministry of Interior Appointments | Artsakh Foreign Minister | Armenia Economy Outlook 2023 | Ep 206 - Jan 15, 2023 [EP206]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia | Series: wir
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.
Topics:
- Artsakh Update and Politics in Stepanakert
- Pashinyanâs âPress Conferenceâ
- Ministry of Interior Affairs Appointments
- Economic Review and Outlook in 2023
- Personal Comments
- Hrant - MPG polls results on Armenian Attitudes towards Russia
- Hovik - Stop the destructive internal politics
Episode 206 | Recorded: January 15, 2023
Hrant Mikaelian | Artsakh Blockade | Pashinyan Press Conference | Ministry of Interior Appointments | Artsakh Foreign Minister | Armenia Economy Outlook 2023 | Ep 206 - Jan 15, 2023 [EP206]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, RussiaGuest:
- Hrant Mikaelian, a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute.
Topics:
- Artsakh Update and Politics in Stepanakert
- Pashinyanâs âPress Conferenceâ
- Ministry of Interior Affairs Appointments
- Economic Review and Outlook in 2023
- Personal Comments
- Hrant - MPG polls results on Armenian Attitudes towards Russia
- Hovik - Stop the destructive internal politics
Episode 206 | Recorded: January 15, 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 | 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, UkraineGuest:
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 | 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 BlockadeGuest:
- 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 | 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 BlockadeGuest:
- 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 MoreVaruzhan Geghamyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 11 [EP191]
Posted on Friday, Dec 23, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade | Series: cog, video
“Turkish threats are going to disappear only when there is no Armenia” - Varuzhan Geghamyan
Guest:
Topic:
- We continue our coverage of the crisis in Artsakh by developments in the UN Security Council as well as Turkish and Iranian concerns in the region.
- More than 120 thousand people, including 30 thousand children, are under siege. Today is the 11th day of the crisis.
- This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between ANN/Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian