The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on Armenian citizens seeking to return to Armenia via the Upper Lars checkpoint connecting Russia and Georgia to return to where they embarked from and to get in touch with Armenian diplomatic posts overseas.

The ministry says the checkpoint, on the Russian-Georgian border, is closed to all foreign nationals, including Armenian citizens.

The ministry, in a statement released today, advises all Armenian citizens who wish to return to do so exclusively through programs regulated by government of Armenia, describing individual initiatives as risky.