Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan today declared the country a “disaster zone”, adding he expects a swift international response to ensure the security and wellbeing of its residents.

“Artsakh is now the only area in the world that is in complete isolation and siege, without any humanitarian aid and international presence. Even if there is no urgent international support under the conditions of declaring a disaster zone, then Artsakh can be considered a concentration camp with all its consequences," Harutyunyan said during a press conference in Stepanakert.

Harutyunyan said he’s sent letters to the presidents of the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, who are also permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as to UN agencies, describing in detail the humanitarian situation in Artsakh and demanding they take effective steps to adequately respond to the situation.

He called on Russia to fulfill its 2020 ceasefire statement obligations to ensure the security of Artsakh and urged the government in Armenia to refrain from any statement and action recognizing Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, thus respecting the right of self-determination of the people of Artsakh.

Harutyunyan also demanded that UN Secretary-General António Guterres to immediately mobilize its resources to end the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh and organize the dispatch of UN peacekeepers in the region.