Russian officer: Search for missing persons, refugee issues remain most acute problems in Artsakh

Panorama, Armenia
May 19 2021

At the Center for Humanitarian Response of the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent (RPC) in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the reception point for citizens continues to work. It also operates a hotline to collect information for the search of missing servicemen, to provide humanitarian assistance, assistance in employment and other problematic topics, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

In total, more than 3,600 people turned to the reception point for help. In particular, more than 800 requests were received by the phone hotline.

"Until now, the most acute problems are the search for missing persons, the return of property and refugee issues. We are also approached on various issues. In particular, today there was an appeal from veterans of the Afghan war about payments – that they are not yet able to receive the payments due to them. We have accepted the appeal and are trying to help them,” said Dmitry Serov, the duty officer of the reception point for citizens.

The officers on duty, who receive requests by phone or in person, must clarify the nature of the problem, find out from relatives information about the alleged area of the missing soldier, record their contact details. All requests are recorded, entered in the database and sent to the joint search groups.

In the future, the search for missing persons will be carried out by the RPC military personnel in cooperation with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides.

"I want to say thank you to the peacekeeping forces that are in Karabakh. We have done a lot of work – search operations are underway, we have set up posts to make it safe in Karabakh and to make people feel that they are protected from military conflicts,” said Artur Baghdasaryan, head of the Hadrut regional administration, who visited the reception point of the Humanitarian Response Center. "Now we want this war to end. So that our refugees all return to their native places and continue their lives in peaceful conditions," he added.