A motorcade that started from Armenia on Monday, December 26 were not able to arrive in Nagorno-Karabakh because the members of the initiative were told by the Russian peacekeeping contingent that they could not ensure their safety.
For over two weeks now, the key road has been blocked by Azerbaijanis who claim to be environmentalists. Amid the closure, a group of activists started a convoy protest from the Armenian capital of Yerevan to Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, carrying New Year and Christmas presents for the children of Karabakh.
On the evening of December 26, members of the "Santa Claus Visits Everyone" 2022 initiative, who were supposed to go to Stepanakert to deliver Christmas gifts and treats to the children of Artsakh, were stopped at the Tegh community checkpoint.
Four of the drivers met with the deputy commander of the Russian peacekeeping mission without journalists as the Russians insisted that they had no right to negotiate in the presence of journalists), Aravot writes.
The deputy commander reportedly warned them that there could be a dangerous situation on the road which could go out of control and further damage the process.
