MOSCOW, January 12. /TASS/. Russia aims not for populism but for substantive work in order to settle the situation around the Lachin Corridor, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

"We intend to engage not in populism but in focused work on settling the situation around the Lachin Corridor," she said. "And with regards to delimiting the Armenian-Azerbaijani border we are consistently supporting the activity of the relevant bilateral commission. We are ready to provide any assistance in its work, among other things, by supplying cartographic materials," she added.

"Progress in this direction will help effectively resolve contentious issues on the ground. The relevant trilateral working group co-chaired by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia is involved in unblocking transport communications in the region. Serious preparatory work was done under its auspices and additional joint efforts are needed for its practical application," the diplomat noted.

Zakharova stressed that on its part, Russia is exerting the necessary efforts to fully unblock the corridor. "Along the lines of Russia’s Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry and the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, consistent steps are being made for de-escalation. It is necessary to find an acceptable decision for all sides," she added.

The diplomat also emphasized that negative remarks about Russian peacekeepers adversely impact the settlement process between Baku and Yerevan. "Currently, convoys with humanitarian aid are passing through the corridor. I would like to reiterate that we view public criticism and provocations against our peacekeepers as unacceptable. They are peace guarantors in that region. Such actions can substantially harm the process of Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization," she concluded.

On situation around Lachin Corridor

The Lachin Corridor is the only road linking Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. On December 12, 2022, a group of Azerbaijanis, who claimed they were environmentalists, blocked the Lachin Corridor, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent was temporarily stationed. Baku argued that the purpose of the protest action was not to block any road, and that civilian vehicles were free to move in both directions.

Yerevan viewed the move as a provocation by Baku aimed at creating a humanitarian disaster in the unrecognized republic. Pashinyan told a government meeting that Nagorno-Karabakh was experiencing a food shortage amid the blocking of the corridor. On December 14, 2022, Armenia demanded that the European Human Rights Court oblige Azerbaijan to unblock the Lachin Corridor.