Tensions Rise as Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Escalates

The ethnic Armenian leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh is facing increasing pressure as negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan progress, with indications that Armenia is willing to cede control of the region to Azerbaijan. The self-proclaimed authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh are finding themselves politically isolated and are struggling with power outages, gas supply interruptions, and a blockade on traffic imposed by Azerbaijan. Ruben Vardanian, a former Karabakh state minister, has emerged as a leader of Armenian resistance to Azerbaijani control and has formed an organization to protect the region's Armenian identity. Many ethnic Armenians fear that Azerbaijan's aim is to ethnically cleanse them from the territory, while Azerbaijan insists that it will treat them as equal citizens. The situation remains tense, with sporadic exchanges of fire and ongoing pressure from Azerbaijan to dismantle the ethnic Armenian institutions in Karabakh.