Updated with latest figures
The Armenian exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh continued in the last twenty-four hours, with the numbers of those that have moved to Armenia reaching 68,386 by 1200 on Thursday (28 September), according to Armenian government sources.
Speaking at a government meeting in Yerevan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that soon there will be no Armenians living in Karabakh and called this ethnic cleansing.
In the meantime, the self-styled president of the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Samvel Shahramanyan, has issued a decree declaring that the Republic and all its institutions will be dissolved on 1 January 2024.
The text of the decree, as published on Armenpress, states:
"given the grave military-political situation and pursuant to ensuring the physical security and essential interests of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh as a priority, taking into consideration the agreement reached with Azerbaijan mediated by the Russian peacekeeping forces command that the free, voluntary and unimpeded passage of the NK residents with their property and vehicles through Lachin Corridor will be taken into consideration.”
All ministries and other state agencies and organizations will be disbanded by January 1, 2024, and the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic ceases to exist,” reads the order.
“The population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the population now outside the republic, after this order takes effect, becomes acquainted with the terms of reintegration presented by Azerbaijan with the purpose of making an individual decision in the future on the opportunity to stay (return) in/to NK”.