Over 500 refugees, on December 25, returned to breakaway Republic of Nagorno Karabakh with assistance from Russian peacekeepers, the Russian Defense Minister said on December 25. It added that the refugees arrived in buses which were safeguarded by the Russian army and military police. The residents of the Caucasian region were displaced after a battle for control ensued between Armenia and Azerbaijan but have started to return following a ceasefire between the two. Since, Russia brokered the pact, over 37,000 locals have returned.
“Today, 540 people were delivered by buses from Yerevan to Stepanakert. The buses were accompanied by patrols from the Russian peacekeeping contingent and military police,” the Russian ministry was quoted as saying by ANI.
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In another official statement, the Russian Defense Ministry informed that the Russian peacekeepers have been providing security to the refugees returning to their residence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region along with humanitarian aid. The Russian force is also aiding in the restoration of the infrastructure facilities in the area and conducting 'round-the-clock monitoring' of the situation in the region from '23 observation posts'. Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed to exchange the prisoners of war captured by Armenia’s army along with the mortal remains of soldiers and victims killed during the military confrontation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
This move comes after Russia brokered a peace agreement and urged the warring sides Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately restore the economic and transport ties in the Nagorno-Karabak region, and felicitate the return of the refugees. In accordance with the agreement, Armenia and Azerbaijan declared a complete ceasefire and halted all military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in November 2020. Following this move, the Russian Federation deployed Russian peacekeepers to monitor the ceasefire and military operations in the area.
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