More than 800 Karabakh refugee families received Russian humanitarian aid

Some of the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh who received Russian food aid in the regions of Armenia called it significant support, but some refused it on principle.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, in July, protesting refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh submitted their demands to the Armenian government, but the authorities refused to fulfill them. The refugees demanded, in particular, the unconditional resumption of the housing assistance program for all refugees who do not have housing in Armenia until the housing needs of such families are fully satisfied.

Since August 1, ANO "Eurasia" began providing food aid to refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh living in the regions of Armenia. The campaign is organized within the framework of the project "Russia with You" with the support of the ANO "Russian Humanitarian Mission" and Rossotrudnichestvo.

"During the campaign, we have already visited 24 settlements, where more than 800 families received their humanitarian aid," blogger Mika Badalyan wrote on his social network page on August 11. 

To receive assistance, refugee families can register on the platform helpartsakh.ru. According to a representative of the ANO "Eurasia", more than 6,000 families have already registered on the platform, and the application verification process is underway. Priority assistance is given to large families, disabled people, families that have lost one or two breadwinners, single pensioners, and families of the dead or wounded. 

Each family is provided with three packages with food and hygiene products. The packages contain 25 kilograms of basic food and hygiene products for several months: cereals, pasta, sugar, flour, canned goods, sweets, butter, tea, coffee, household chemicals, toothpaste and toothbrush, as well as baby food (puree, porridge) and special baby kits with essential goods. In total, 140 tons of cargo were delivered to Armenia, and it is planned to provide assistance to 30 thousand refugees.

Karabakh public figure Tigran Petrosyan noted that food aid from Russia allows them to ask questions to the Armenian authorities. "In the last days of the blockade, when the people of Artsakh (the self-name of Nagorno-Karabakh) faced real hunger, "aid" came from Russia. Then I expressed doubts that this aid was suspicious and its purpose was to test the mood of the people. And the current aid is suspicious because it was provided not immediately after the ethnic cleansing of 2023, but now, almost two years later. I would like to ask the Armenian authorities: if after all this time you allow food to be sent to the people of Artsakh, does this mean that the people of Artsakh need it? If so, then it turns out that it was premature to stop state support under the “40+10” program,” Petrosyan said.

“As a citizen of Artsakh, I refuse the “aid” provided by Russia. When we needed help, we saw what they did,” said Lilit Avanesyan, a resident of Stepanakert.

All families included in the groups receiving aid must decide for themselves whether they need this food support, Nonna Tovmasyan from Nagorno-Karabakh is sure. "Nobody can tell them whether to take it or not," she said.

Tatev Petrosyan and her husband are childless pensioners, internally displaced persons from Stepanakert since September 2023, renting housing in the Masis community. The woman admitted that after the housing support program was cut, it became difficult for them to pay for rent and food with their small pensions.

"Instead of 40 + 10 thousand drams, my husband and I now receive 30 thousand drams. We have to add from our pension to pay for housing. We received three packages of food, according to my calculations, this will be enough for us for three months. Perhaps, thanks to this aid, if we calculate it correctly, we will be able to buy high-quality medicines that we could not afford,” she said.

Liana Melkumyan from Stepanakert is a mother of four minor children. The family rents housing in the Ararat region of Armenia. The woman admitted that they have not received humanitarian aid since the beginning of 2025. “They also cut social support - only children receive 30 thousand drams, my husband and I do not receive this money, and the owner does not want to lower the rent. Only my husband works - he is engaged in private transportation of people in an old car, but this is an unstable income, there are days when he does not earn anything. Therefore, any help is important for our family. The little children were especially happy, as the package contained sweets and puree in a beautiful package. Overall, I'm happy: for a while we'll only have to buy bread and maybe we'll be able to buy meat," the woman said.

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