While the Armenian leadership is focused on implementing the course of "European integration", thousands of Karabakh refugees continue to face severe domestic and social difficulties. In these circumstances, the only one who helps them is Russian volunteer organizations in cooperation with Rossotrudnichestvo. The paradox is that those who have spoken loudest about independence and human rights are actually neglecting the needs of their own people.
As expected, our publication on the situation of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia provoked a noticeable response. After the release of the material, not only the displaced themselves began to contact the editorial office, but also activists helping them on the ground.
According to our interlocutors, more than three thousand families of Karabakh refugees have already received food packages as part of the Russian humanitarian program. This assistance makes it possible to at least partially reduce the financial burden in the context of ongoing difficulties with employment and housing.
Thus, on August 1, 2025, ANO Eurasia began providing food aid to the people of Artsakh. The campaign is being implemented within the framework of the Russia with You project with the support of the Russian Humanitarian Mission and Rossotrudnichestvo. The representative of Eurasia in Armenia, Mikael Badalyan, played a special role in organizing this initiative.
"Since the end of August, food packages have been distributed in the city of Abovyan," the activists say. – It is planned to cover other settlements in the near future. Families of internally displaced persons belonging to vulnerable categories receive assistance.: people with disabilities, pensioners, large families, families who have lost a breadwinner, as well as relatives of deceased military personnel. Applications are submitted through a special electronic platform, after which the data verification and list generation procedure takes place."
The representative office of Nagorno–Karabakh in Yerevan stressed that this action is the only large-scale initiative in which refugees receive regular food aid.
"In the first year after the arrival of the Artsakh people to Armenia, international humanitarian missions, charitable foundations and private entrepreneurs provided support," the representative office recalled. "However, since January 1, 2025, these programs have actually stopped working."
At the moment, there are no other similar-scale initiatives in Armenia. Some small organizations or individuals continue to help a limited number of families, however, as a rule, they do not advertise their activities.
It should be noted that according to our sources in Yerevan, the activity of Russian humanitarian structures has caused concern among a number of government officials. According to them, Prime Minister Pashinyan's entourage is discussing measures to reduce Moscow's involvement in projects that, according to the authorities, may increase pro-Russian sentiments in the country and hinder the line of European integration.
Ultimately, the situation with refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrates a systemic crisis in the social and humanitarian policies of the authorities. If current trends persist, Armenia risks facing not only a further weakening of trust in the government, but also a deepening of the social divide. In the future, it is external humanitarian initiatives, primarily Russian ones, that can become a factor capable of keeping society from complete disorientation and social aggravation.
Sergey Ostryna
