The Region in Brief

Artsakh

Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh entered its third month this week. The natural gas supply to Artsakh was disrupted on February 9 for the eighth time since the closure of the Lachin Corridor on December 12, which the Artsakh government blamed on Azerbaijani interference. Artsakh authorities say that the energy system has been overloaded by the cold weather and lack of gas and electricity supply, leading to accidents. Households have been losing power for six hours a day under a government mandated rolling blackout. However, residents have been losing power for longer periods of time due to the pressure on the energy grid. The energy crisis has also caused a series of fires, including a fire at the central headquarters of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) in Artsakh. The building security guard suffered burns and was hospitalized. Artsakh authorities also expanded the food distribution system on February 13. In addition to rice, sugar, buckwheat, pasta and oil, residents can use government-issued coupons to purchase eggs, fruit and vegetables.