128-529: Artsakh ( / ˈ ɑːr t s ɑː x , - s æ x / ART -sa(h)kh ), officially the Republic of Artsakh or the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh ( / n ə ˌ ɡ ɔːr n oʊ k ər ə ˈ b ɑː k / nə- GOR -noh kər-ə- BAHK ), was a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory was internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan . Between 1991 and 2023, Artsakh controlled parts of
256-597: A contested line of contact which saw sporadic deadly incidents during the intervening years. In 2020, a new war was fought in the region , with Azerbaijan achieving victory and regaining all the surrounding occupied districts and a significant portion of Artsakh's claimed territory. The Lachin corridor linking Artsakh to Armenia was blockaded by Azerbaijan in December 2022. In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched another military offensive . The government of Artsakh agreed to disarm and enter talks with Azerbaijan, prompting
384-462: A flight of ethnic Armenians from the area . On 28 September 2023, the president of Artsakh subsequently signed a decree to dissolve all of the republic's institutions by 1 January 2024, though the president later attempted to annul this decree. By 1 October 2023, almost the entire population of the region had fled to Armenia. According to scholars, inscriptions dating to the Urartian period mention
512-513: A full-out war in 1992 . The war was won by Artsakh with support from Armenia. Although a ceasefire agreement was signed in 1994 , the frozen situation left the predominantly Armenian-populated territory de facto independent , with a self-proclaimed government in Stepanakert, but still heavily reliant on and closely integrated with Armenia, in many ways functioning as a de facto part of Armenia. Even though Armenia never officially recognized
640-528: A person in international law if it meets the following criteria: According to the declarative theory, an entity's statehood is independent of its recognition by other states. By contrast, the constitutive theory defines a state as a person of international law only if it is recognised as such by other states that are already a member of the international community. Quasi-states often reference either or both doctrines in order to legitimise their claims to statehood. There are, for example, entities which meet
768-560: A 76% turnout for instituting a new constitution. This constitution among other changes turned the government from a semi-presidential to a fully presidential model. Its name was changed from "Constitution of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic" to "Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh", though both remained official names of the country. The referendum was seen as a response to the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes . Artsakh
896-559: A city of historical and cultural significance to both Armenians and Azerbaijanis, Artsakh's new capital. In August of the same year the government of Artsakh moved the country's parliament to Shusha, escalating tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Further skirmishes occurred on the border between the two countries in July 2020. Thousands of Azerbaijanis rallied for war against Armenia in response, and Turkey voiced its firm support for Azerbaijan. On 29 July 2020, Azerbaijan conducted
1024-461: A country typically falls somewhere between the declarative theory and constitutive theory approaches. The criteria for inclusion on this list are limited to polities that claim sovereignty , lack recognition from at least one UN member state , and either: There are 193 United Nations (UN) member states , while both the Holy See and Palestine have observer state status in
1152-490: A decree stating that all state institutions would be dissolved by 1 January 2024, bringing the existence of the republic to an end. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the region on 15 October and officially raised the flag of Azerbaijan at the building that was previously used as the Artsakh Presidential Palace. On 22 December 2023, Shahramanyan said that there was no official document stipulating
1280-718: A formal agreement; however, a statement by Azerbaijani Presidency said that they were "constructive and positive" and that further negotiations would continue. On 24 September, a mass evacuation of ethnic-Armenian civilians started, fearing persecution and ethnic cleansing if they remained. A second round of negotiations between representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians and Azerbaijan took place in Khojaly on 25 September, where humanitarian issues were discussed. A third meeting between took place in Yevlakh on 29 September. On 28 September, Artsakh president Samvel Shahramanyan signed
1408-688: A humanitarian ceasefire after ten hours of talks in Moscow (the Moscow Statement) and announced that both would enter "substantive" talks. After the declared ceasefire, the President of Artsakh admitted Azerbaijan had been able to achieve some success, moving the front deep into Artsakh territory; the Armenian Prime Minister announced that Armenian forces had conducted a "partial retreat". The ceasefire quickly broke down and
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#17327659864961536-539: A military offensive into Artsakh-controlled territory. The following day, the government of the Republic of Artsakh agreed to disarm and a ceasefire took effect. Initial negotiations between representatives of the Karabakh Armenian community and the Government of Azerbaijan took place on 21 September in Yevlakh to discuss security, rights and "integration". The talks, which lasted two hours, ended without
1664-643: A military position on the front lines and the placement of reserve forces, after which the position would be shelled along with roads and bridges that could potentially be used by the reserves to reach the position. After the Armenian/Artsakh position had been extensively shelled and cut off from reinforcement, the Azerbaijanis would move in superior forces to overwhelm it. This tactic was repeatedly used to gradually overrun Armenian and Artsakh positions. Azerbaijani troops managed to make limited gains in
1792-701: A partial mobilisation in Azerbaijan. On 8 October 2020, Azerbaijan recalled its ambassador to Greece for consultations, following allegations of Armenians from Greece arriving in Nagorno-Karabakh to fight against Azerbaijan. Three days later, the Azerbaijani State Security Service (SSS) warned against a potential Armenian-backed terror attack. On 17 October 2020, the Azerbaijani MoFA stated that member of
1920-537: A peace process were initiated by the OSCE Minsk Group in 1994, with the interrupted Madrid Principles being the most recent iteration prior to the 2020 war. The United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions in 1993 calling for the withdrawal of "occupying forces" from the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, and in 2008 the General Assembly adopted a resolution demanding
2048-424: A peace process were initiated by the OSCE Minsk Group in 1994. On 27 September 2020, a war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Artsakh. Fighting continued until November, and Azerbaijan recaptured territories, primarily in the southern part of the region, as well as the strategic town of Shushi . A ceasefire agreement signed on 10 November 2020 between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia declared an end to
2176-528: A result of the Armenian artillery shelling, with several large hangars of the plant becoming completely burned down. An Armenian-backed Nagorno-Karabakh human rights ombudsman report noted 5,800 private properties and 520 private vehicles destroyed, with damage to 960 items of civilian infrastructure, and industrial and public and objects. On 16 November 2020, the Prosecutor General's Office of
2304-476: A series of military exercises that lasted from 29 July to 10 August 2020, followed by further exercises in early September with the involvement of Turkey. Prior to the resumption of hostilities, allegations emerged that Turkey had facilitated the transfer of hundreds of Syrian National Army members from the Hamza Division to Azerbaijan. Baku denied the involvement of foreign fighters. The conflict
2432-483: Is influenced by the presence of a foreign military force in the territory of the contested entity, making the description of the country's de facto status problematic. The international community can judge this military presence too intrusive, reducing the entity to a puppet state where effective sovereignty is retained by the foreign power. Historical cases in this sense can be seen in Japanese -led Manchukuo or
2560-519: Is mild and temperate. The average temperature is 11 °C (52 °F), which fluctuates annually between 22 °C (72 °F) in July and −1 °C (30 °F) in January. The average precipitation can reach 710 mm (28 in) in some regions, and it is foggy for over 100 days a year. Over 2,000 kinds of plants exist in Artsakh, and more than 36% of the country is forested. The plant life on
2688-691: Is on a plateau which slopes downwards towards the east and southeast, with the average altitude being 1,100 m (3,600 ft) above sea level . Most rivers in the country flow towards the Artsakh Valley . The geology of Artsakh is primarily part of the Kussary-Divichi Foredeep ;– the northern foredeep of the Greater Caucasus . The trough is filled with Oligocene to Quaternary age deepwater, molasse and marine sedimentary rocks. The climate
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#17327659864962816-647: Is one such state, as it maintains unofficial relations with many other states through its Economic and Cultural Offices , which allow regular consular services. This allows Taiwan to have economic relations even with states that do not formally recognise it. A total of 56 states, including Germany, Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom, maintain some form of unofficial mission in Taiwan. Kosovo , Northern Cyprus , Abkhazia , Transnistria ,
2944-675: Is supported by Armenia. During the Soviet era, the predominantly Armenian-populated region was governed as an autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan SSR . As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate during the late 1980s the question of Nagorno-Karabakh's status re-emerged, and on 20 February 1988 the parliament of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast passed a resolution requesting transfer of
3072-485: Is unclear whether more prisoners remain in captivity on either side. At the time of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan had retaken most of the area south of the Lachin corridor. It had also captured one-third of Nagorno-Karabakh, mostly in the south. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan regained control over much of its territory that had been lost to Armenia in the earlier war. In total, Azerbaijan regained control of 73% of
3200-664: The 2023 Azerbaijani military offensive . It fought the Azerbaijani army to a ceasefire on 12 May 1994. At its peak, the Artsakh Defense Army consisted of around 18,000–20,000 officers and soldiers. However, only around 8,500 citizens from Artsakh served in the army; some 10,000 came from Armenia. There were also 177–316 tanks , 256–324 additional fighting vehicles, and 291–322 guns and mortars . Armenia supplied arms and other military necessities to Artsakh. Several battalions of Armenia's army were deployed directly in
3328-698: The Armenian President , Armen Sarkissian , dismissed the director of the NSS. Subsequently, the Armenian government toughened the martial law and prohibited criticising state bodies and "propaganda aimed at disruption of the defense capacity of the country". On the same day, the Armenian MoD cancelled a Novaya Gazeta correspondent's journalistic accreditation, officially for entering Nagorno-Karabakh without accreditation. On 9 October 2020, Armenia tightened its security legislation. On 21 October 2020,
3456-617: The Artaxiad dynasty and the kingdom of Greater Armenia . Folk etymology holds that the name is derived from "Ar" (Aran) and "tsakh" (woods, garden) (i.e., the gardens of Aran Sisakean, the first nakharar of northeastern Armenia). The name "Nagorno-Karabakh", commonly used in English, comes from the Russian name which means "Mountainous Karabakh". Karabakh is a Turkish/Persian word thought to mean "black garden". The Azerbaijani name for
3584-609: The Azerbaijani districts , while others had different borders. Law enforcement in Artsakh was inconsistent, as the region was a de facto independent republic and officially part of Azerbaijan . Law enforcement in Nagorno-Karabakh was the responsibility of the Interior Ministry and the NSS. After the annexation of Artsakh to the Azerbaijan SSR , on 4 August 1923, the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs of
3712-643: The German -created Slovak Republic and Independent State of Croatia before and during World War II . In the 1996 case Loizidou v. Turkey , the European Court of Human Rights judged Turkey for having exercised authority in the territory of Northern Cyprus . There are also entities that do not have control over any territory or do not unequivocally meet the declarative criteria for statehood but have been recognised to exist as sovereign entities by at least one other state. Historically, this has happened in
3840-1039: The NSS of Armenia . It was a republican body that elaborated and implemented the policies of the government in the national security sector. By decree of the NKR Supreme Council adopted on 18 January 2006, the NKAO State Security Department was named the State Department of National Security under the NKR Council of Ministers. By order of the NKR National Assembly on 26 November 2003, the NKR laws "On National Security Bodies" and "On Service in National Security Bodies" were adopted. The activities of
3968-752: The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was established. In the years following the First Nagorno-Karabakh War , the Republic of Artsakh created its own police force. In 2001, the National Assembly's law "On Police" was adopted on 30 November 2006. On 11 March 2014, Police Day in Artsakh was declared for 16 April. The police force followed an organization similar to that of the Police of Armenia . Artsakh had its own National Security Service, based on
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4096-510: The OSCE Minsk Group . In his case study of Eurasia, Dov Lynch of the Institute for Security Studies of WEU believes that "Karabakh's independence allows the new Armenian state to avoid the international stigma of aggression, despite the fact that Armenian troops fought in the war between 1991 and 1994 and continue to man the Line of Contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan." Lynch also cites that
4224-704: The Russian State Duma from the ruling United Russia , Vitaly Milonov , was declared persona non grata in Azerbaijan for visiting Nagorno-Karabakh without permission from the Azerbaijani government. On 24 October 2020, by recommendation of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan , the member banks of the Azerbaijani Banks' Association unanimously adopted a decision to write off the debts of the military servicemen and civilians who died during
4352-473: The Sahrawi Republic , Somaliland , and Palestine also host informal diplomatic missions, and/or maintain special delegations or other informal missions abroad. Second Nagorno-Karabakh War Per Azerbaijan: Per SOHR : Per Armenia/Artsakh: 1994 ceasefire 2020 ceasefire 2023 ceasefire The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in
4480-705: The State Border Service , the State Security Service , and ANAMA . Over the course of the war several Azerbaijani activists were brought in for questioning by the State Security Service, due to their anti-war activism. On 12 December, a decree by President Aliyev lifted the curfew that had been imposed in September. Casualties were high, officially in the low thousands. According to official figures released by
4608-408: The international community as sovereign states , but have not been universally recognised as such. These entities often have de facto control of their territory. A number of such entities have existed in the past. There are two traditional theories used to indicate how a sovereign state comes into being. The declarative theory (codified in the 1933 Montevideo Convention ) defines a state as
4736-543: The pogrom against Armenians in the Azerbaijani town of Sumgait in February 1988, the conflict became increasingly violent, and attempts by Moscow to resolve the dispute failed. In summer 1988, the legislatures of Soviet Armenia and the NKAO passed resolutions declaring the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, which were rejected by Azerbaijani and central Soviet authorities. Azerbaijan declared its independence from
4864-510: The steppes consists mostly of semi-desert vegetation, while subalpine zone and alpine tundra ecosystems can be found above the forest in the highlands and mountains. Artsakh was a presidential democracy (transformed from a semi-presidential one, after the 2017 referendum ). The Prime Minister 's post was abolished and executive power resided with the President who was both the head of state and head of government . The president
4992-402: The "Fight for Survival" ( Armenian : Գոյամարտ , romanized : Goyamart ). In Azerbaijan, it has been called the "Second Karabakh War" ( Azerbaijani : İkinci Qarabağ müharibəsi ) and "Patriotic War". The Azerbaijani government referred to it as an "operation for peace enforcement" and "counter-offensive operation". It later announced it had initiated military operations under
5120-637: The "strength of the Armenian armed forces, and Armenia's strategic alliance with Russia, are seen as key shields protecting the Karabakh state by the authorities in Stepanakert ". Some sources consider Artsakh as functioning de facto as a part of Armenia. Representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Russia and the United States met in Paris and in Key West , Florida, in early 2001. Despite rumours that
5248-632: The 2020 war was via the five kilometres (3.1 mi)–wide Lachin corridor , which was placed under the supervision of Russian peacekeeping forces . The predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh was claimed by both the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia when both countries became independent in 1918 after the fall of the Russian Empire . A brief war over
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5376-485: The 2020 war, the Republic of Artsakh maintained control over the areas of the former oblast that had not been captured during the war. In 2021, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia held a trilateral meeting about Artsakh. This was expected to be the first of a regular series of meetings between the three countries, per an agreement to promote economic and infrastructure development throughout the region. In December 2022, Azerbaijanis claiming to be environmental activists blocked
5504-528: The Armenian Cabinet of Ministers temporarily banned the import of Turkish goods , the decision will come into force on 31 December 2020. The following day, the Armenian parliament passed a law to write off the debts of the Armenian servicemen wounded during the clashes and the debts of the families of those killed. On 27 October 2020, the Armenian president Armen Sarkissian dismissed the head of
5632-438: The Armenian military has targeted densely populated areas containing civilian structures. As of 9 November 2020, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan stated that during the war, as a result of reported shelling by Armenian artillery and rocketing, 100 people had been killed, while 416 people had been wounded. Also, during the post-war clashes, the Azerbaijani authorities stated that an Azercell employee
5760-405: The Artsakh authorities stated that the Azerbaijani forces were 5 km (3.1 mi) from Shusha . On 8 November 2020, Azerbaijani forces seized Shusha , the second-largest city in Artsakh before the war, located 15 kilometres from Stepanakert , the republic's capital. Although the amount of territory contested was relatively restricted, the conflict impacted the wider region, in part due to
5888-605: The Artsakh zone on occupied Azerbaijani territory. The Artsakh Defense Army fought in Shusha in 1992, opening the Lachin corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (1992), and staged the defence of the Martakert front from 1992 to 1994. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was based in Stepanakert . Since no UN member or observer ever recognised Artsakh, none of its foreign relations were of an official diplomatic nature. However,
6016-520: The Azerbaijani advance continued. Within days Azerbaijan announced the capture of dozens of villages on the southern front. A second ceasefire attempt midnight 17 October 2020 was also ignored. Azerbaijan announced the capture of Jabrayil on 9 October 2020 and Füzuli on 17 October 2020. Azerbaijani troops also captured the Khoda Afarin Dam and Khodaafarin Bridges . Azerbaijan announced that
6144-471: The Azerbaijani advance to within 25 kilometres of the Lachin corridor by 26 October 2020. Artsakh troops who had retreated into the mountains and forests began launching small-unit attacks against exposed Azerbaijani infantry and armour, and Armenian forces launched a counteroffensive near the far southwestern border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On 26 October 2020, a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect, but fighting resumed within minutes. Three days later,
6272-473: The Interior Minister, Vilayet Eyvazov . Azerbaijan Airlines announced that all airports in Azerbaijan would be closed to regular passenger flights until 30 September 2020. The Military Prosecutor's Offices of Fuzuli, Tartar, Karabakh and Ganja began criminal investigations of war and other crimes. Also on 28 September 2020, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, issued a decree authorising
6400-484: The Lachin corridor connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, with a mandate of at least five years. Following the end of the war, an unconfirmed number of Armenian prisoners of war were held captive in Azerbaijan, with reports of mistreatment and charges filed against them, leading to a case at the International Court of Justice . The later 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh would see
6528-464: The Lachin corridor, the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world. On 23 April 2023, Azerbaijani forces installed a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor. The blockade led to a humanitarian crisis for the population in Artsakh; imports of essential goods were blocked, as well as humanitarian convoys of the Red Cross and the Russian peacekeepers, trapping the 120,000 residents of
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#17327659864966656-549: The Military Control Service of the Armenian MoD, Movses Hakobyan , stated that already on the fifth day of war there were 1,500 deserters from Armenian armed forces, who were kept in Karabakh and not allowed to return to Armenia in order to prevent panic. The press secretary of Armenian prime minister called the accusations absurd and asked the law enforcement agencies to deal with them. Former military commissar of Armenia major-general Levon Stepanyan stated that
6784-437: The NSS were based in the decrees of 25 September 2012. The NSS was headed by Lieutenant General Kamo Aghajanyan. According to the Constitution of Artsakh, the army was under the civilian command of the government. The Artsakh Defense Army was officially established on 9 May 1992 as a defence against Azerbaijan, but was subsequently disbanded on 21 September 2023 under the terms of Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement following
6912-419: The Nagorno-Karabakh region vote for separation. Artur Mkrtchyan was chosen as president of the Nagorno-Karabakh region following parliamentary elections on December 28, 1991. On January 2, 1992, President Ayaz Mutallibov of Azerbaijan placed the Nagorno-Karabakh region under direct presidential control, and Nagorno-Karabakh formally declared its independence from Azerbaijan on January 6, 1992. The declaration
7040-488: The Nagorno-Karabakh region. Additionally, Armenia undertook to "guarantee safety" of transport communication between Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave and mainland Azerbaijan in both directions, while Russia's border troops (under the Federal Security Service ) were to "exercise control over the transport communication". On 15 December 2020, after several weeks of cease fire, the sides finally exchanged prisoners of war. 44 Armenian and 12 Azeri prisoners were exchanged. It
7168-687: The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan stated that he considered Nagorno-Karabakh "an inseparable part of Armenia". The Republic of Artsakh was neither a member nor observer of the UN or any of its specialised agencies. However, it was a member of the Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations , commonly known as the "Commonwealth of Unrecognized States". While no UN member states recognised Artsakh, some unrecognised and partially recognised states had done so, including Transnistria , Abkhazia and South Ossetia . Various sub-national governments, including several U.S. states , had issued calls for recognition of Artsakh by their national governments. Artsakh
7296-438: The Republic of Artsakh operated five permanent Missions and one Bureau of Social-Politic Information in France. Artsakh's Permanent Missions existed in Armenia , Australia, France, Germany, Russia, the United States, and one for Middle East countries based in Beirut . The goals of the offices were to present the Republic's positions on various issues, to provide information and to facilitate the peace process. In his 2015 speech,
7424-443: The Republic of Artsakh, as "a sovereign, democratic state based on social justice and the rule of law." More than 100 non-governmental international observers and journalists who monitored the poll evaluated it positively, stating that it was held to a high international standard. However, the vote was criticised harshly by the European Union, OSCE and GUAM , which rejected the referendum, deeming it illegitimate. The EU announced it
7552-404: The Soviet Union on August 30, 1991, and Azerbaijan formally achieved its sovereignty following a referendum on September 21, 1991. Later, on November 27, 1991, the parliament revoked the autonomous status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, prompting local leaders to call for a referendum on independence from Azerbaijan on December 10, 1991. The result saw approximately 99 percent of ethnic Armenians in
7680-477: The United Nations. However, some countries that fulfill the declarative criteria, are recognised by the large majority of other states and are members of the United Nations are still included in the list here because one or more other states do not recognise their statehood, due to territorial claims or other conflicts. Some states maintain informal (officially non-diplomatic) relations with states that do not officially recognise them. Taiwan (the Republic of China)
7808-439: The United States failed to stop the conflict. Following the capture of Shusha , the second-largest city in Nagorno-Karabakh, a ceasefire agreement was signed, ending all hostilities in the area from 10 November 2020. The agreement resulted in a major shift regarding the control of the territories in Nagorno-Karabakh and the areas surrounding it. Approximately 2,000 Russian soldiers were deployed as peacekeeping forces along
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#17327659864967936-471: The area, "Dağlıq Qarabağ", has the same meaning as the Russian name. The term "Artsakh" lacks the non-Armenian influences present in "Nagorno-Karabakh". Artsakh was revived for use in the 19th century, and was the preferred term used by the population, in English and Russian as well as Armenian. "Mountainous Karabakh" was sometimes employed directly as part of the official English name, "Republic of Mountainous Karabakh". This reflected an attempt to shift away from
8064-430: The banner of any of the established political parties in the republic. Elections in Artsakh were not recognised by the European Union , the United States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , as well as numerous other countries, who called them a source of increased tensions. Artsakh was heavily dependent on Armenia, and in many ways de facto functioned and was administered as part of Armenia. However, Armenia
8192-457: The belligerents, Armenia lost 3,825 troops killed and 187 missing, while Azerbaijan lost 2,906 troops killed, with six missing in action . During the conflict, it was noted that the sides downplayed the number of their own casualties and exaggerated the numbers of enemy casualties and injuries. The Armenian authorities stated that 85 Armenian civilians were killed during the war, while another 21 were missing. According to Azerbaijani sources,
8320-417: The bodies of the fallen. Furthermore, Armenian forces were to withdraw from Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh by 1 December 2020, while a peacekeeping force, provided by the Russian Ground Forces and led by Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov , of just under 2,000 soldiers would be deployed for a minimum of five years along the line of contact and the Lachin corridor linking Armenia and
8448-423: The border area with Iran was fully secured with the capture of Agbend on 22 October 2020. Azerbaijani forces then turned northwest, advancing towards the Lachin corridor , the sole highway between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, putting it within artillery range. According to Artsakh, a counterattack repelled forward elements of the Azerbaijani force and pushed them back. Armenian/Artsakh resistance had managed to halt
8576-407: The case of the Holy See (1870–1929); Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania (during Soviet annexation); and Palestine at the time of its declaration of independence in 1988. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is currently in this position . See list of governments in exile for unrecognised governments without control over the territory claimed. State practice relating to the recognition of
8704-434: The city of Stepanakert, where the population was forced to live in overcrowded bunkers , due to Azerbaijan artillery and drone strikes conflict. There were also reported difficulties in testing and contact tracing during the conflict. The Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shusha became damaged as a result of shelling. On 19 October 2020, a strong fire broke out in a cotton plant in Azad Qaraqoyunlu , Tartar District , as
8832-446: The clashes began, stating it was "in order to prevent large-scale Armenian provocations." The government made a noticeable push to use Twitter , which was the only unblocked platform in the country. Despite the restrictions, some Azerbaijanis still used VPNs to bypass them. The National Assembly of Azerbaijan declared a curfew in Baku , Ganja , Goygol , Yevlakh and a number of districts from midnight on 28 September 2020, under
8960-424: The code-name "Operation Iron Fist" ( Azerbaijani : Dəmir Yumruq əməliyyatı ). The territorial ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh is fiercely contested between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. The current conflict has its roots in events following World War I and today the region is de jure part of Azerbaijan, although large parts were de facto held by the internationally unrecognised Republic of Artsakh , which
9088-453: The conflict resulted in over 600,000 internally displaced people within Azerbaijan . The Republic of Artsakh became a de facto independent country, though closely integrated with Armenia, while its territory remained internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Professor Matt Qvortrup considered it hypocritical that Western Europe countries had eagerly recognised the succession of several states from Yugoslavia , ignoring
9216-492: The conflict. On 29 October 2020, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, issued a decree on the formation of temporary commandant's offices in the areas that the Azerbaijani forces seized control of during the conflict. According to the decree, the commandants will be appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs , but they will have to coordinate with other executive bodies of the government, including Ministry of Defense ,
9344-804: The conflict. As of 2 November 2020, the Azerbaijani authorities has stated that the conflict had displaced approximately 40,000 people in Azerbaijan. Seven journalists have been injured. On 1 October 2020, two French journalists from Le Monde covering the clashes in Khojavend were injured by Azerbaijani shellfire. A week later, three Russian journalists reporting in Shusha were seriously injured by an Azerbaijani attack. On 19 October 2020, according to Azerbaijani sources, an Azerbaijani AzTV journalist received shrapnel wounds from Armenian shellfire in Aghdam District. Armenian authorities reported
9472-660: The counterintelligence department of the National Security Service, Major General Hovhannes Karumyan and the chief of staff of the border troops of the National Security Service Gagik Tevosyan. On 8 November 2020, Sarkissian yet again dismissed the interim head of the National Security Service. As of 8 November 2020, one Armenian activist was fined by the police for his anti-war post. On 27 September 2020, Azerbaijani authorities restricted internet access shortly after
9600-866: The course of the fighting. The conflict was accompanied by coordinated attempts to spread misleading content and disinformation via social media and the internet. The conflict began with an Azerbaijani ground offensive that included armoured formations, supported by artillery and drones, including loitering munitions . Armenian and Artsakh troops were forced back from their first line of defence in Artsakh's southeast and northern regions, but inflicted significant losses on Azerbaijani armoured formations with anti-tank guided missiles and artillery, destroying dozens of vehicles. Azerbaijan made heavy use of drones in strikes against Armenian air defences, taking out 13 short-range surface-to-air missile systems. Azerbaijani forces used drones to systematically isolate and destroy Armenian/Artsakh positions. Reconnaissance drones would locate
9728-485: The de facto Artsakh are so intertwined that Robert Kocharyan served as the first President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, from 1994 to 1997, then as prime minister of Armenia from 1997 to 1998, and then as the second President of Armenia, from 1998 to 2008. However, Armenian governments have repeatedly resisted internal pressure to unite the two, due to ongoing negotiations under the auspices of
9856-669: The death of at least 541 Syrian fighters or mercenaries fighting for Azerbaijan. On 14 November 2020, the Observatory reported the death of a commander of the Syrian National Army's Hamza Division . Civilian areas, including major cities, have been hit, including Azerbaijan's second-largest city, Ganja, and the region's capital, Stepanakert, with many buildings and homes destroyed. The Ghazanchetsots Cathedral has also been damaged. Several outlets reported increased cases of COVID-19 in Nagorno-Karabakh, particularly
9984-605: The deaths of 3,825 servicemen during the war, while the Azerbaijani authorities stated that more than 5,000 Armenian servicemen were killed, and several times more were wounded as of 28 October 2020. After the war, the former director of the Armenian National Security Service, Artur Vanetsyan , had also stated that some 5,000 Armenians were killed during the war. Also, the Armenian authorities had stated that about 60 Armenian servicemen were captured by Azerbaijan as prisoners of war. The former Head of
10112-403: The declarative criteria (with de facto partial or complete control over their claimed territory, a government and a permanent population), but whose statehood is not recognised by any other states. Non-recognition is often a result of conflicts with other countries that claim those entities as integral parts of their territory. In other cases, two or more partially recognised states may claim
10240-630: The defendants, the former Defence Minister of Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan , going to Artsakh during the conflict. On 1 October 2020, the Armenian National Security Service (NSS) stated that it had arrested and charged a former high-ranking Armenian military official with treason on suspicion of spying for Azerbaijan. Three days later, the NSS stated that it had arrested several foreign citizens on suspicion of spying. Protesting Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan, Armenia recalled its ambassador to Israel. On 8 October 2020,
10368-445: The deployment of cluster munitions , which are banned by the majority of the international community but not by Armenia or Azerbaijan. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan used cluster munitions against civilian areas outside of the conflict zone. A series of missile attacks on Ganja, Azerbaijan inflicted mass civilian casualties, as did artillery strikes on Stepanakert , Artsakh's capital. Much of Stepanakert's population fled during
10496-585: The deployment of drones , sensors, long-range heavy artillery and missile strikes, as well as by state propaganda and the use of official social media accounts in online information warfare . In particular, Azerbaijan's widespread use of drones was seen as crucial in determining the conflict's outcome. Numerous countries and the United Nations strongly condemned the fighting and called on both sides to de-escalate tensions and resume meaningful negotiations. Three ceasefires brokered by Russia, France, and
10624-470: The disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding occupied territories . It was a major escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region , involving Azerbaijan , Armenia and the self-declared Armenian breakaway state of Artsakh . The war lasted for 44 days and resulted in Azerbaijani victory, with the defeat igniting anti-government protests in Armenia . Post-war skirmishes continued in
10752-411: The disputed territory, including the territory captured in Nagorno-Karabakh. It was reported that Azerbaijan regained control of 5 cities, 4 towns, 286 villages. Since the beginning of the conflict, both Armenia and Azerbaijan declared martial law , limiting the freedom of speech . Meanwhile, a new law came into effect since October 2020 in Armenia, which prohibits negative coverage of the situation at
10880-528: The dissolution of government institutions, and his office stated that it was "empty paper". The Artsakh Republic was mountainous, a feature which has given it its former name (from the Russian for "Mountainous/Highland Karabakh"). It is 3,170 km (1,224 sq mi) in area. The largest water body is the Sarsang Reservoir , and the major rivers are the Tartar and Khachen rivers. The country
11008-417: The entirety of the disputed territory come under the control of Azerbaijan. The war has been referred to as the "Second Nagorno-Karabakh War", and has also been called the "44-Day War" in both Armenia and Azerbaijan. In Armenia and Artsakh, it has been called the "Second Artsakh War" ( Armenian : Արցախյան երկրորդ պատերազմ , romanized : Arts'akhyan yerkrord paterazm ), "Patriotic War" and
11136-482: The fighting to an end and resulted in significant Armenian territorial gains: in addition to controlling most of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Republic of Artsakh also occupied the surrounding Azerbaijani-populated districts of Agdam , Jabrayil , Fuzuli , Kalbajar , Qubadli , Lachin and Zangilan . The terms of the Bishkek agreement produced a frozen conflict , and long-standing international mediation attempts to create
11264-493: The former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic , including its capital Stepanakert . It had been an enclave within Azerbaijan from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war until the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive , when the Azerbaijani military took control over the remaining territory controlled by Artsakh. Its only overland access route to Armenia after
11392-449: The front. Restrictions have been reported on the work of international journalists in Azerbaijan, with no corresponding restrictions reported in Nagorno-Karabakh. On 28 September 2020, Armenia banned men aged over 18 listed in the mobilisation reserve from leaving the country. The next day, it postponed the trial of former President Robert Kocharyan and other former officials charged in the 2008 post-election unrest case, owing to one of
11520-621: The fundamental principles of a settlement to the conflict. Contrary to the initial optimism, the Rambouillet talks did not produce any agreement, with key issues such as the status of Artsakh and whether Armenian troops would withdraw from Kalbajar still being contentious. Talks were held at the Polish embassy in Bucharest in June 2006. Again, American, Russian, and French diplomats attended
11648-537: The immediate withdrawal of Armenian occupying forces, although the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and USA, voted against it. For three decades multiple violations of the ceasefire occurred, the most serious being the four-day 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . Surveys indicated that the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh did not want to be part of Azerbaijan and in 2020 the Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan announced plans to make Shusha,
11776-443: The laws of territorial integrity, but simultaneously did not show the same interest for the Nagorno-Karabakh referendum, noting "the practice of independence referendums seemingly owes more to national interest than to adherence to principles of jurisprudence ". Intermittent fighting over the region continued after the 1994 ceasefire without significant territorial changes, while long-standing international mediation attempts to create
11904-494: The military portion of Ganja International Airport but instead hitting residential areas. On the morning of the seventh day, Azerbaijan launched a major offensive. The Azerbaijani Army's First, Second, and Third Army Corps, reinforced by reservists from the Fourth Army Corps, began an advance in the north, making some territorial gains, but the Azerbaijani advance stalled. Most of the fighting subsequently shifted to
12032-519: The negative associations thought linked with "Nagorno-Karabakh" due to the war. In the lead-up to the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was revitalised. In 1987–88, a mass movement started in Nagorno-Karabakh and Soviet Armenia calling on the Soviet authorities to transfer the region to Armenia, citing self-determination laws in the Soviet constitution. Starting with
12160-463: The number of deserters in Armenian army was over 10,000, and it is not possible to prosecute such a large number of military personnel. During the post-war clashes, the Armenian government stated that 60 servicemen went missing, including several dozen that were captured. and On 27 October 2020, Artsakh authorities stated that its defence minister Jalal Harutyunyan was wounded in action. However, unofficial Azerbaijani military sources alleged that he
12288-639: The oblast from the Azerbaijan SSR to the Armenian SSR . Azerbaijan rejected the request several times, and ethnic violence began shortly thereafter with a series of pogroms between 1988 and 1990 against Armenians in Sumgait , Ganja and Baku , and against Azerbaijanis in Gugark and Stepanakert . Following the revocation of Nagorno-Karabakh's autonomous status , an independence referendum
12416-503: The open. Azerbaijan targeted infrastructure throughout Artsakh starting on the first day of the war, including the use of rocket artillery and cluster munitions against Stepanakert , the capital of Artsakh, and a missile strike against a bridge in the Lachin Corridor linking Armenia with Artsakh. On the 6th day of the war, Armenia/Artsakh targeted Ganja for the first of four times with ballistic missiles , nominally targeting
12544-644: The parliament: the Free Motherland party had 15 members, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation had 8 members, Democratic Party of Artsakh had 7 members, Movement 88 had 2 members and the National Revival party had one member. A number of non-partisan candidates had also taken part in the elections , with some success; in 2015, two of the 33 members to the National Assembly took their seats without running under
12672-547: The parties were close to a solution, the Azerbaijani authorities – both during Heydar Aliyev 's period of office, and after the accession of his son Ilham Aliyev in the October 2003 elections – have firmly denied that any agreement was reached in Paris or Key West. Further talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharyan , were held in September 2004 in Astana, Kazakhstan , on
12800-565: The post-war clashes or landmine explosions. On 23 October 2020, President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, confirmed that Shukur Hamidov who was made National Hero of Azerbaijan in 2016, was killed during the operations in Qubadli District . This was the first military casualty officially confirmed by the government. However, Armenian and Artsakh authorities have claimed 7,630 Azerbaijani soldiers and Syrian mercenaries were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented
12928-418: The region and encouraged Azerbaijanis to settle within it, although Armenians remained the majority population. In the lead-up to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, the region re-emerged as a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In 1991, a referendum held in the NKAO and the neighbouring Shahumyan Province resulted in a declaration of independence. The conflict erupted into
13056-472: The region broke out in 1920. The dispute was largely shelved after the Soviet Union established control over the area, and created the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) within the Azerbaijan SSR in 1923. Throughout the Soviet period, Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast were heavily discriminated against. The Soviet Azerbaijani authorities worked to suppress Armenian culture and identity in Nagorno-Karabakh, pressured Armenians to leave
13184-444: The region under a variety of names: "Ardakh", "Urdekhe", and "Atakhuni". In his Geography , the classical historian Strabo refers to an Armenian region which he calls "Orchistene", which is believed by some to be a Greek version of the old name of Artsakh. According to another hypothesis put forth by David M. Lang , the ancient name of Artsakh possibly derives from the name of King Artaxias I of Armenia (190–159 BC), founder of
13312-522: The region's independence, it became the main financial and military supporter of the territory. In 2017, a referendum in the area approved a new constitution that transformed the system of government from a semi-presidential to a presidential democracy with a unicameral legislature in addition to changing the name of the state from the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh to the Republic of Artsakh, although both names remained official. From 1994 until 2020, Armenian and Azerbaijani troops remained separated by
13440-410: The region, including substantial clashes in 2022. Fighting began on the morning of 27 September, with an Azerbaijani offensive along the line of contact established in the aftermath of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–1994). Clashes were particularly intense in the less mountainous districts of southern Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey provided military support to Azerbaijan. The war was marked by
13568-503: The region. Limited traffic was conducted by Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross to transport patients in need of medical care and provide humanitarian supplies. However, from 15 June 2023, Azerbaijan intensified the blockade, blocking all passage of food, fuel, and medicine from the Red Cross and the Russian peacekeepers through the Lachin corridor. On 19 September, Azerbaijan launched
13696-431: The renewed fighting, and established that Armenia would withdraw from remaining occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh over the next month. The agreement included provisions for a Russian peacekeeping force to deploy to the region, with Russian President Vladimir Putin stating that the ceasefire agreement would "create the conditions for a long-term settlement". The war may have claimed thousands of lives. After
13824-453: The same territorial area, with each of them de facto in control of a portion of it (for example, North Korea and South Korea , or the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China ). Entities that are recognised by only a minority of the world's states usually reference the declarative doctrine to legitimise their claims. In many situations, international non-recognition
13952-592: The sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit. Reportedly, one of the suggestions put forward was the withdrawal of the occupying forces from the Azeri territories adjacent to Artsakh and then holding referendums (plebiscites) in Artsakh and Azerbaijan proper regarding the future status of the region. On 10 and 11 February 2006, Kocharyan and Aliyev met in Rambouillet , France, to discuss
14080-487: The south in the first three days of the conflict. For the next three days, both sides largely exchanged fire from fixed positions. In the north, Armenian/Artsakh forces counterattacked, managing to retake some ground. Their largest counterattack took place on the fourth day, but incurred heavy losses when their armour and artillery units were exposed to Azerbaijani attack drones, loitering munitions, and reconnaissance drones spotting for Azerbaijani artillery as they manoeuvred in
14208-572: The south, in terrain that is relatively flat and underpopulated as compared to the mountainous north. Azerbaijani forces launched offensives toward Jabrayil and Füzuli , managing to break through the multi-layered Armenian/Artsakh defensive lines and recapture a stretch of territory held by Armenian troops as a buffer zone, but the fighting subsequently stalled. After the shelling of Martuni , Artsakh authorities began mobilising civilians. Just before 04:00 (00:00 UTC ) on 10 October 2020, Russia reported that both Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed on
14336-410: The talks that lasted over 40 minutes. Earlier, Armenian President Kocharyan announced that he was ready to "continue dialogue with Azerbaijan for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and with Turkey on establishing relations without any preconditions". List of states with limited recognition A number of polities have declared independence and sought diplomatic recognition from
14464-427: The then-president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Arkadi Ghukasyan , signed a decree to hold a referendum on a draft Nagorno-Karabakh constitution. It was held on 10 December of the same year and according to official preliminary results, with a turnout of 87.2%, as many as 98.6 per cent of voters approved the constitution. The first article of the document described the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, alternatively called
14592-483: The type of munitions deployed. Shells and rockets landed in East Azerbaijan Province , Iran , although no damage was reported, and Iran reported that several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) had been downed or had crashed within its territory. Georgia stated that two UAVs had crashed in its Kakheti Province . On 9 November 2020, in the aftermath of the capture of Shusha, a ceasefire agreement
14720-436: The vote would prove harmful to the ongoing conflict settlement process, which, he said, had shown "visible progress" and was at a "promising juncture". The holding of the referendum was also criticised by Turkey, which traditionally supports Azerbaijan because of common ethnic Turkic roots, and has historically had severe tensions with Armenia. Another referendum was held on 20 February 2017, with an 87.6% vote in favour on
14848-532: Was "aware that a 'constitutional referendum' has taken place," but emphasised its stance that only a negotiated settlement between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians could bring a lasting solution. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis asserted that the poll "will not be recognized... and is therefore of no consequence". In a statement, the OSCE chairman in office Karel De Gucht voiced his concern that
14976-517: Was a de facto independent state, calling itself the Republic of Artsakh . It had close relations with Armenia and used the same currency, the dram . According to Human Rights Watch , "from the beginning of the Karabakh conflict, Armenia provided aid, weapons, and volunteers. Armenian involvement in Artsakh escalated after a December 1993 Azerbaijani offensive. The Republic of Armenia began sending conscripts and regular Army and Interior Ministry troops to fight in Artsakh." The politics of Armenia and
15104-438: Was characterised by the widespread use of combat drones , particularly by Azerbaijan, as well as heavy artillery barrages, rocket attacks and trench warfare . Throughout the campaign, Azerbaijan relied heavily on drone strikes against Armenian/Artsakh forces, inflicting heavy losses upon Armenian tanks, artillery, air defence systems and military personnel, although some Azerbaijani drones were shot down. It also featured
15232-554: Was directly elected for a maximum of two-consecutive five-year terms. The last President was Samvel Shahramanyan . The National Assembly was a unicameral legislature. It had 33 members who were elected for 5-year terms. Elections took place within a multi-party system ; in 2009, the American NGO Freedom House ranked the Republic of Artsakh above the republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan with respect to civil and political rights . Five parties had members in
15360-645: Was divided into seven provinces and one special administrative city . According to its authorities, it consisted of the territories in which the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was proclaimed in 1991: the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), the Shahumyan Region and the Getashen subdistrict; and those territories that formed part of the Republic of Artsakh before the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War . Also claimed by Artsakh
15488-505: Was held in the region on 10 December 1991. The referendum was boycotted by the Azerbaijani population, which then constituted around 22.8% of the region's population; 99.8% of participants voted in favour. In early 1992, following the Soviet Union's collapse, the region descended into outright war. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War resulted in the displacement of approximately 725,000 Azerbaijanis and 300,000–500,000 Armenians from both Azerbaijan and Armenia. The 1994 Bishkek Protocol brought
15616-602: Was hesitant to officially recognise Artsakh. The founding documents of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic were the Proclamation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the Declaration of State Independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic . For a long time no constitution was created, with the republic instead declaring Armenian law applied on its territory through a 1992 law. Even when new laws were passed, they were often copies of equivalent Armenian laws. On 3 November 2006,
15744-413: Was killed and released footage apparently showing the assassination from a drone camera. During the conflict, the government of Azerbaijan did not reveal the number of its military casualties. On 11 January, Azerbaijan stated that 2,853 of its soldiers had been killed during the war, while another 50 went missing. Also, Azerbaijani authorities stated that 11 more Azerbaijani servicemen were killed during
15872-482: Was rejected by newly independent Azerbaijan , leading to the outbreak of full-scale war with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh on one side and Azerbaijan on the other. The First Nagorno-Karabakh War ended with a ceasefire in May 1994 , with Armenian forces controlling practically the entire territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast as well as most of seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan . According to UNHCR ,
16000-424: Was seriously injured during the installation of communication facilities and transmission equipment near Hadrut . As of 23 October 2020, the Armenian authorities has stated that the conflict had displaced more than half of Nagorno-Karabakh's population or approximately 90,000 people. The International Rescue Committee has also claimed that more than half of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh has been displaced by
16128-418: Was signed according to which most of the controlled territories of the Republic of Artsakh were transferred to Azerbaijani control, but the Republic of Artsakh continues to claim these territories. Following the Republic of Artsakh's declaration of independence, the Azerbaijani government abolished the NKAO and created Azerbaijani districts in its place. As a result, some of Artsakh's divisions corresponded with
16256-503: Was signed by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, ending all hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from 10 November 2020, 00:00 Moscow time. The President of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, also agreed to end the hostilities. Under the terms of the deal, both belligerent parties were to exchange prisoners of war and
16384-616: Was the Shahumyan Region of the Azerbaijan SSR, which has been under Azerbaijani control since the First Nagorno-Karabakh War . While the Shahumyan Region was not part of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, representatives from Shahumyan declared independence along with the Oblast, and the proclamation of Artsakh includes the Shahumyan region within its borders. After the end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War , an agreement
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