In recent months, residents of Old Martiros village of Vayk, an enlarged community of Vayots Dzor Region, have noticed significant earthworks on the top of one of the adjacent hills.
Pastures mowed fields are to the right of the main road entering the village; in that direction are also the famous Vimapor Monastery and the popular Katnov Spring. In the distance is the Gogi Mountain, and the hills to the left are the Azerbaijani base or bases, about 10 km in a straight line. It is here that large-scale earthworks are mentioned.
Eyewitnesses claim that even from a great distance, it is noticeable that some fortification construction activities are being done on the top of the mountain, a road stretching for kilometers is being flattened, and according to all, equipment and weapons are also being accumulated.
The road line is marked on the horizon.
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Once upon a time, there were Armenian positions here; the villagers used to take to this very favorable place in the summer, keep the herd of cows for 3-4 months, and produce a large number of dairy products there. But ten or more years ago, according to what the villagers remember and told, the Armenian stronghold was removed from here for some reason. In the same year, an Azerbaijani base appeared here, so the villagers have been avoiding taking livestock there for months; it is unsafe.
Behind the mountains are Nakhijevan, the Armenian villages of Gogi (current Azerbaijani name Kyuki) and Armavashen (Azerbaijani name Rameshin). The residents of Old Martiros are sure that earthworks and road construction on these mountains can have one and only one purpose. Positions are strengthened here for military purposes; these are very favorable heights to observe not only these and neighboring villages but also the main regional road leading to the villages, which is of republican importance. They say that the entire Vayots Dzor is under the aim.
Some of the villagers familiar with the area say that before these recent works, there were already strong Azerbaijani strongholds in that area. They say it is easy to guess for what purpose the enemy is fortifying now. It is an essential node of the Silk Road and, strategically, an important height. Under these conditions, Martiros residents consider it urgent and necessary to give the village the status of a border guard community. They emphasize that to keep residents in this once rich and abundant community; state support is needed so that social programs reach here as well. “People say that they are not only guarding the land here but also the border. People should be supported and kept here so that the enemy who is strengthening on the border will see the light in the houses of this village.
Our villagers raise the question: How does the situation in our village differ from other communities that do not consider this to be borderline? The eye of the enemy is on our village. Because of this base, in the area of more than 100 hectares, they are careful or avoid keeping livestock, sow grain, or mowing grass,” one of the villagers told us.
The administrative head of the Martiros settlement, Khalat Soghomonyan, told “Aravot” that there are no problems with the village and no Azerbaijani strongholds either. However, according to “Aravot” information, the government has warned community leaders since the war not to talk about one or another positional change, arguing that it is a matter of competence of the Ministry of Defense.
Rosa HOVHANNISYAN
