On August 1, the Azerbaijani armed forces made an attempt to advance in the direction of the Yeghtsahogh community and the Nareshtar settlement of Shushi region, which was stopped by the forces of the Defense Army. Nareshtar is in the administrative area of Vank community of Martakert region.
Andrey Sargsyan (Head of Vank community of Artsakh) - Around 9 o'clock in the morning, there were attacks on our positions by Azerbaijan. Fortunately, our guys stopped their advance.
The rumors that there were fierce battles in the direction of Gandzasar are not true, says the deputy head of Artsakh Diocese, Archimandrite Sahak Shakaryan, spiritual pastor of Gandzasar, who was in the monastery complex at the time of filming.
Archimandrite Sahak Shakaryan (Deputy leader of Artsakh Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church) - With the awareness that the sacred memory of our holy ancestors flows in the veins of every Armenian, it is with this awareness that we have lived here, are living and will live. It should never cross the mind of the world-wide Armenians that the people of Artsakh will leave their thousand-year-old residence, their homeland.
The Nareshtar settlement is quite far from Gandzasar, says Borik Hakobyan, who has lived there for 30 years, and adds that the Azerbaijani side is trying to justify its advance with the map of the Soviet years.
Borik Hakobyan (resident of Vank community of Artsakh) - There is nothing special, there is no panic, everyone stands in his position there.
The Defense Army reported that the situation at the contact line has not undergone significant changes, stable tension is maintained. As a result of the provocation undertaken by the Azerbaijani side, the defense army has one wounded, whose health condition is assessed as satisfactory.
The leadership of the Republic, together with the command of the Defense Army and the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops, are taking steps to defuse the tension and prevent further escalation.
