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The Artsakh Republic's State Minister Ruben Vardanyan has called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened urgently to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) amid the ongoing Azerbaijani blockade.

The blockade began on Monday morning, when a group of Azerbaijanis, posing as environmental activists, stopped traffic on the Lachin Corridor, the sole road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, citing “illegal” mining activity in the area. Later on Tuesday, Azerbaijan also cut off the gas supply to Artsakh.

In an interview to the Russian daily Kommersant on Thursday, Vardanyan stated a system was being created to provide the Artsakh population with everything they need amid a total blockade.

“It is necessary to make the airport work. This requires pressure from international organizations and all countries, so that a humanitarian corridor is established to ensure that cargo planes carrying humanitarian aid safely access the Stepanakert airport,” he said.

“This is the only way to avoid dependence on Azerbaijan. There should be an international agreement allowing planes with humanitarian assistance to land in Artsakh. This is an important condition for our survival as a community here and the prevention of such situations in the future. The airport is fully functional," the official said.