YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenian chess grandmaster Levon Aronian issued a statement asking everyone in their power to help Armenians amid the Azeri blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh).

“At this moment while the whole world is preparing for the winter holidays, 120 thousand of Armenians living in Nagorno Karabakh are already in a blockade for 10 days. They are facing existential threat from Azerbaijan who are using different illegal methods to block the only road connecting Stepanakert to Armenia.

Armenia had devastating losses during the 44 day war in 2020. The peace agreement signed between Armenia ,Azerbaijan and Russia specified that the road will remain open and will serve all countries in the region. Right now the Russian peacekeeping forces are being taunted by Azerbaijani “ecology activist” that block the road under different false premises.

While we see different organizations condemning this provocative actions by Azerbaijani officials , time is passing , the kids can’t come back home, hospitals are struggling with supplies and the food shortage is imminent.

I urge everyone in their power to help my homeland by spreading the message and finding ways to help the people in a great need,” Aronian said in the statement.