Zakharova urged not to aggravate already tense situation in  Nagorno-Karabakh

ArmInfo.Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, urged not to aggravate the already tense situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. She stated  this on March 24 at a briefing in response to a question about the  termination of gas supplies to Artsakh by the Azerbaijani side.

"Moscow is in contact with both sides, calling for a speedy solution  to the problem of gas supplies to the region. Relevant work is being  carried out through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of  Defense, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, Gazprom.  We proceed from the fact the already difficult humanitarian situation  should not be aggravated and ordinary people should not suffer," she  said.

On March 7, the gas pipeline supplying Artsakh with natural gas was  blown up in the territory under the control of Azerbaijan. As Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at a government meeting today, under  various pretexts, Azerbaijan did not allow the gas pipeline to be  repaired and, as a result, repaired it itself.  As a result,  according to our information, a valve was installed on the gas  pipeline. "On March 21, Artsakh was deprived of gas again,  Azerbaijan, without an any explosion, simply closed the valve, thus  proving that the explosion on March 7 was organized by the  Azerbaijani side," he said. Pashinyan drew attention to the fact that  gas supply was interrupted in the exceptional weather conditions and  low temperatures. " As a result of Azerbaijan's actions, Artsakh is  now on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe: This undoubtedly  shows Azerbaijan's policy towards the Armenians of Artsakh.  That is, to make it impossible for them to live in their own  homeland: The goal has been set to do everything to complete the  ethnic cleansing in Artsakh," the head of Armenian government  assured.