The Azerbaijani government announced that Stepanakert, the main city of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region (known in Azerbaijani as Khankendi), will be integrated into Azerbaijan’s energy grid after a transfer from the Armenian energy network. Reports from TASS indicate this shift in control over the city’s energy supply aligns with broader steps in regional energy coordination.
According to official statements, the city’s electricity needs are now met through the Shusha substation, which began operation in 2021. Since September 19, the Azerenerji company has been installing additional high‑voltage lines to connect Karabakh’s energy system with Azerbaijan’s grid. An agreement in Yevlah reportedly includes the reconnection of Stepanakert to Azerbaijan’s system as a condition of the linkage plan.
Meanwhile, population movements remain a focal point in the region. It has been reported that roughly 120,000 Armenians may wish to relocate from Karabakh, expressing a preference not to live under Azerbaijani governance. The region remains predominantly Armenian in composition, with Lachin corridor serving as the sole land link to Armenia.
The Nagorno-Karabakh area, also self‑identified as Artsakh by local authorities, declared independence in 1991. However, this declaration has not received recognition from United Nations member states, including Armenia. For decades, Baku maintained little direct control over the territory, while a locally administered regime, supported by Yerevan, governed community affairs. Russian peacekeepers have played a stabilizing role, though clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the area persisted over time.
The conflict history intensified in 2020, culminating in a November agreement aimed at halting hostilities. That accord involved Russian mediation and established a framework for prisoner exchanges, territorial adjustments, and the return of refugees. Russian peacekeepers were deployed to monitor the ceasefire and support the implementation of the accord on the ground.
On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijani authorities announced the launch of an anti-terrorist operation in Nagorno-Karabakh. By September 20, discussions, aided by Russian peacekeepers, aimed to finalize a ceasefire. The terms envisaged the disbandment of Karabakh’s armed forces and the removal of heavy equipment, with ongoing verification and monitoring by the peacekeeping mission to ensure compliance.
Earlier public statements cited by media outlets suggested that military forces in Karabakh would be withdrawn toward designated zones in the Northern Military District, a measure described as part of reconfiguring security arrangements in the region. The situation remains fluid as international observers and regional actors monitor developments and seek to prevent a relapse into broader confrontation.