A humanitarian initiative has launched in Armenia to support the forcibly displaced population from Artsakh.
The Russian Humanitarian Mission and the Eurasia NGO, under the patronage of Rossotrudnichestvo, have initiated a large-scale humanitarian program to assist those displaced from Artsakh. This was announced by Arseny Pronin, a representative of the Russian Humanitarian Mission in Armenia, according to Sputnik Armenia.
The first phase began on July 31 and will continue through August. Around 30,000 forcibly displaced people are expected to receive aid, totaling over 140 tons. The aid distribution started in the Masis community.
Pronin said that in addition to food and hygiene kits, special packages will be provided for families with small children, including baby food, cereals, purées, sweets, and care products.
“When identifying our target groups, we focused especially on families who lost one or both breadwinners, families with disabilities, large families, and elderly people living alone,” said the Russian Humanitarian Mission representative.
Alena Arshinova, Chair of the Eurasia NGO Council and a member of Russia’s State Duma, emphasized in her speech that such initiatives often have more real impact than official ceremonies because they reflect genuine unity and friendship between peoples.
She added that humanitarian support has always been a central focus of the Eurasia NGO.
“I’m from Transnistria myself, so I understand well what it means to find yourself powerless in such situations,” said Arshinova.
She underlined that the Eurasia organization uses humanitarian projects to build bridges of trust.
The first phase of the initiative, titled "Russia is with you," will be implemented throughout August. Aid distribution points will operate in several cities, including Abovyan, Masis, Gyumri, and Kapan.
Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Artsakh on September 19, 2023, bombarding the entire territory. On September 20, Artsakh’s authorities accepted a ceasefire proposed by Russian peacekeepers, agreeing to disarm the Defense Army and dissolve the Republic. The forced displacement of over 100,000 people to Armenia began on September 24. Only about 20 Armenians reportedly remain in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree to dissolve the Republic of Artsakh, effective January 1, 2024.
