Armenia’s Tennis Stars Elina Avanesyan and Alina Charaeva Hit the Court With 200 Young Players in Tsaghkadzor
Armenian tennis players Elina Avanesyan and Alina Charaeva took to the court with about 200 children and young athletes in Tsaghkadzor on Sept. 5, offering them a chance to train alongside two of the country’s leading women’s players. The masterclass at the Tsaghkadzor Main Sports Complex was organized by the Keron Development Foundation and the Armenian Tennis Federation. Participants traveled from Yerevan and other parts of Armenia for training sessions, games and competiti
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Ruben Vardanyan’s Wife Offers to Travel to Baku — Azerbaijani Media Warns She Could Face 5 Years in Prison
An Azerbaijani media outlet says Veronika Zonabend, the wife of imprisoned Armenian philanthropist and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, could face up to five years in prison if she travels to Baku, citing a 2022 visit she made to Nagorno-Karabakh. The report surfaced as Zonabend renewed her push for direct access to Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan. On Sept. 8, Zonabend wrote to Armenia’s National Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan after learning of h
14 hours ago
POW Says Azerbaijan Blocks Armenian Detainees From Court Documents and Legal Representation
Davit Ishkhanyan, the former speaker of the Artsakh Parliament imprisoned in Azerbaijan, says Azerbaijani authorities have withheld court rulings from Armenian detainees and their lawyers, blocked efforts to authorize legal representation in Armenia and left prisoners with no practical way to contact the country’s human rights ombudswoman. In a message from prison, Ishkhanyan challenged recent statements by Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva about the treat
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Russians Who Relocated to Armenia Gather in Yerevan to Learn How to Build a Life There
Russians who have relocated to Armenia gathered in Yerevan on Tuesday for a practical discussion on how to navigate life in the country, from opening a bank account to securing residency and understanding immigration rules. The Armenian Report attended the gathering. The Sept. 8 gathering was organized by Kovcheg, a Russian emigrant support organization, as part of its “Kovcheg Talks” series. The meetings are designed to connect newer arrivals with Russians who have already g
15 hours ago
Ruben Vardanyan’s Wife Asks to Join Alen Simonyan on Possible Visit to Azerbaijan
The wife of imprisoned former Artsakh official Ruben Vardanyan has asked to join Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan on any visit to Azerbaijan, urging him to press Baku over the treatment and release of Armenian prisoners. Zonabend said she learned of the possible trip through media reports and welcomed Simonyan’s willingness to visit Azerbaijan. She said the trip could offer a rare opportunity to address the prisoners’ treatment and give their families direct contact
2 days ago
Armenia Moves to Tighten Citizenship Rules With Residency Requirements, Tougher Ancestry Checks and Higher Fees
Armenia is moving to tighten access to citizenship, proposing new residency requirements, tougher checks on Armenian ancestry and steep fee increases under a government plan that would reshape who can obtain an Armenian passport. The changes would affect both foreign nationals and ethnic Armenians, who have traditionally had an easier path to citizenship. Applicants would be expected to show a meaningful connection to Armenia, including legal residence and time physically spe
2 days ago
Armenian President Cites 4,800 War Deaths, Nearly 1,000 More Than Official Count
Armenia’s Investigative Committee has restated the official death toll from the 2020 war with Azerbaijan after President Vahagn Khachaturyan cited a figure nearly 1,000 higher than the government’s documented count. The committee said 3,833 people were killed during the 44-day war, including 3,755 servicemen and 78 civilians. Another 191 people — 172 servicemen and 19 civilians — remain missing. The figures were released after Khachaturyan, during an official visit to the Cze
2 days ago
Armenia Files EAEU Complaint Over Russian Trade Barriers
Armenia has formally raised concerns within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) over trade barriers affecting Armenian goods, saying the restrictions run counter to the bloc’s rules and should be addressed through its existing legal mechanisms. Deputy Economy Minister Tigran Gasparyan said Armenia has filed a complaint with the EAEU and expects the organization to take steps to remove the barriers. “We have filed a complaint, and we hope — and are confident — that the mechanis
2 days ago
Elina Avanesyan Sets Sights on Representing Armenia at 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Elina Avanesyan has set her sights on representing Armenia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a goal the country’s top women’s tennis player believes is increasingly within reach as Armenia strengthens its national team. “Competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is one of our biggest dreams,” Avanesyan told reporters in Armenia. “It carries even greater responsibility because we would be representing Armenia at the Olympic Games.” Avanesyan, who switched sporting representat
3 days ago
Azerbaijan Begins Blasting at Its Occupied Artsakh Section of Armenia’s Sotk Gold Mine
Azerbaijan has begun blasting operations at the Zod gold deposit along its border with Armenia and is considering construction of a new ore-processing complex, moving ahead with large-scale development of a mine that has been at the center of years of military tension and cross-border fire. AzerGold, Azerbaijan’s state-owned mining company, said Sept. 7 that it carried out its first drilling and blasting operation at the deposit, known as Soyudlu in Azerbaijan and Sotk in Arm
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