More than 500 refugees have returned to the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh within the past 24 hours with assistance from Russian peacekeepers, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday.
"Today, 540 people were delivered by buses from Yerevan to Stepanakert. The buses were accompanied by patrols of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and military police," the ministry said in a statement.
The peacekeepers are said to constantly monitor the situation and the compliance with a ceasefire at 23 observational points, secure safe return for people to their homes, provide humanitarian aid and restore civil infrastructure.
In November, Yerevan and Baku agreed to a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, putting an end to the six-week war over the disputed area. The agreement resulted in the loss of most territories controlled by the self-proclaimed republic and stipulated deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region.
After the hostilities had ceased, Armenian refugees started to return to Nagorno-Karabakh, with Russian peacekeepers ensuring their safety.
SOURCE: Business World
