One truck carrying humanitarian aid sent by Russia’s Red Cross today reached Stepanakert, the Artsakh capital, via the Aghdam-Askeran road.

ArtsakhPress reports that Askeran Mayor Hayk Shamiryan told the news outlet that a group of residents initially blocked the road into Artsakh but later agreed to allow the truck to proceed.

The aid includes small amounts of grains, vegetable oil, sugar, and two hundred hygiene kits.

The Artsakh government has, until today, opposed any humanitarian aid via the Aghdam roadway.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry today stated that the use of the Aghdam roadway to deliver Russian aid is “a positive step and important progress towards the opening of this road.”

Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the parallel use of the Lachin Corridor and the Aghdam road to ship aid to Karabakh.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry claimed “the puppet regime created by Armenia in the Garabagh region” is preventing the implementation of this agreement.