The Region in Brief

Artsakh

Azerbaijan has launched demolition works in Gorchu, a village located in the Kashatagh (Lachin) region of occupied Artsakh, as part of its ongoing efforts to alter the region’s landscape and demographic character. The announcement was made by Rafiq Salmanov, executive director of the so-called Restoration, Construction and Management Service in the Lachin district, according to Azerbaijani state-linked media.

Salmanov claimed that 319 “unusable” structures are being destroyed across a 300-hectare area by the “EL SEYM” company, with demolition expected to conclude within two months. Azerbaijani officials plan to launch the first phase of what they describe as “reconstruction” in 2026, which reportedly includes the construction of 250 houses, a school, a kindergarten and administrative buildings.

According to Baku’s narrative, the project forms part of its “Great Return” program — a policy widely viewed in Armenia and Artsakh as an organized resettlement campaign aimed at consolidating Azerbaijani control over territories captured during and after the 2020 war. Azerbaijani plans also foresee additional construction between 2027 and 2030, including new housing complexes and infrastructure intended for the permanent settlement of up to 1,000 Azerbaijani families in the area.

Advertisement

Gorchu lies near the recently inaugurated Lachin International Airport — another symbol of Azerbaijan’s efforts to entrench its presence in the occupied region. Critics argue that such projects serve both political and strategic objectives, further erasing the historical Armenian presence in these lands under the guise of “reconstruction.”

Azerbaijan

“More than five years have passed since then. Perhaps it is time to clarify certain points,” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said in the documentary “Contact Line,” aired on iTV. He was referring to a proposal by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during one of the final meetings before the November 9, 2020 trilateral statement was signed.

According to Bayramov, the document proposed by Lavrov envisaged a ceasefire taking effect at midnight on November 10, 2020. Under the plan, Russian peacekeepers and Azerbaijani armed forces were to be stationed along the eastern section of the line of contact, while Russian peacekeepers and Armenian armed forces would be deployed along the western section.

Georgia

The “Middle Corridor” initiative could play a crucial role in strengthening economic partnerships and trade relations among various countries, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), according to APA’s Georgian bureau.

Kobakhidze emphasized that China, the Central Asian states, Azerbaijan and Georgia are jointly developing a highly significant route for economic cooperation and trade. “This is precisely why we remain committed to reinforcing the Middle, or Trans-Caspian, Corridor,” he stated. “Georgia is a reliable partner for all countries in the region, and we believe it can play a positive role in further deepening cooperation.”

The Prime Minister also noted that participation in China’s “Belt and Road” initiative offers major opportunities for Georgia. “We aim to maximize our transit potential and are actively investing in infrastructure development projects,” Kobakhidze added.

Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reiterated Tehran’s firm opposition to any alteration of regional borders or geopolitical realities, addressing the issue of the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” during a meeting with students at Hamadan University, Tasnim News reported.

“We do not accept any changes to the region’s borders or geopolitical configuration. We believe that the best way to ensure regional security is through regional cooperation, and our preferred framework remains the ‘3+3’ format,” Araghchi stated.

The minister added that Iran maintains direct communication with relevant parties regarding the Zangezur issue and has been assured that no threat will be posed to Iran’s interests. “Of course, we continue to closely monitor the situation,” he emphasized.

Russia

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) statements are “never unfounded,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, responding to intelligence reports suggesting that Armenia intends to purchase grain from Kyiv.  Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service alleged that Armenia is seeking to politically distance itself from Moscow and assist Ukraine by buying part of Kyiv’s grain supply at a higher price than it pays for Russian imports.

Peskov emphasized that there are numerous issues on the agenda of Russian-Armenian cooperation. “There are frequent high-level contacts between our countries,” Peskov stated. “We have a broad bilateral cooperation agenda, and we hope this collaboration will continue.”

Turkey

All 20 personnel aboard a Turkish military cargo plane that crashed in Georgia on Tuesday have been confirmed dead, Turkey’s Defense Minister Yaşar Güler announced, according to AP News. Güler confirmed the fatalities in a post on X, sharing photographs of the servicemen who lost their lives in the incident.

The C-130 military transport aircraft, built in 1968, was flying from Azerbaijan to Turkey when it went down in Georgia near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed that “The aircraft’s black box has been found, an investigation has begun and the bodies of 19 servicemen have been recovered.”