Russian blogger Sergei Vasilyev and his friend arrived in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and filmed there. The blogger and his friend, who first came to Armenia, crossed the Lachin corridor to Karabakh. The posting of the video on YouTube on June 24, 2021 gives grounds to say that the Russian blogger recently visited Karabakh. The blogger noted that they passed the first checkpoint with Russian peacekeepers without any obstacles. At the second checkpoint, the peacekeepers told them that foreigners were not allowed in Karabakh, but later changed their minds and allowed them to go to Khankendi.

First of all, the blogger, who was filming along the Lachin Corridor (Eastern Zangazur), as well as in Khankendi, did not just make a travel video. In the meantime, he told about the history of "Greater Armenia" and claimed that Karabakh was included in the "Greater Armenia" in the 4th century, but only on the basis of what he heard. Of course, this point shows that the Russian blogger did not just travel while making the video, but that he also intends to attract the attention of Armenians. His sharing of a bank account with pro-Armenian blogger Semyon Pegov reinforces this view.

It cannot be ruled out that the blogger was allowed to Karabakh with the intention of preparing a report against Azerbaijan. It is clear from the filming that conditions were created for the blogger and his friend to move freely in the territory of Karabakh. It is difficult to say unequivocally whether Russian peacekeepers have been given a special task in this regard. However, it is clear that their blogger, or rather a specific foreign citizen, does not have the authority to enter the territory of Azerbaijan.

The point is that the tripartite statement signed by the presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia and the prime minister of Armenia on November 10, 2020 as a result of the Second Karabakh War specifically reflects the duties and powers of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. According to the document, peacekeepers stationed along the Lachin corridor and in a number of areas in Karabakh were not authorized to allow foreign nationals into the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. According to paragraph 6 of the statement, the Azerbaijani side guarantees the movement and safety of citizens, vehicles and cargo in both directions along the Lachin corridor.

The Lachin corridor serves as a humanitarian corridor for Armenians living in Karabakh. That is, this implies the use of this corridor by the Armenians living in Karabakh, as well as the transportation of goods for them.

This is not the first fact of arbitrariness of peacekeepers. Earlier, they ensured the entry of former Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan, as well as French MPs to Khankadi through the Lachin corridor. At that time, this step of the peacekeepers caused strong protests from the Azerbaijani side. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev touched upon this issue at a meeting on the results of 2020: “No foreign national can enter that area without our permission. No international organization except for the Red Cross can go there. This is our territory. The whole world recognizes this territory as Azerbaijan’s integral part.”

Ilham Aliyev returned to this issue at a press conference for local and foreign media on February 26, 2021, saying that Azerbaijan is puzzled by the incomprehensible actions of Russian peacekeepers who are secretly allowing foreigners into Karabakh: “We have agreed with the Russian side that foreigners can go there only with our permission. But this agreement is being violated." The president of Azerbaijan noted that Azerbaijan precisely knows who is coming there and who is leaving.

Apparently, the demand of the Azerbaijani side is concrete and clear: no foreign citizen can go to Nagorno-Karabakh without Baku’s permission. This means that the temporary control of the Lachin corridor by Russian peacekeepers mustn’t result in a violation of Azerbaijan's sovereign rights. Baku must have information about persons entering the world-recognized borders of Azerbaijan. By the way, according to Article 12 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on State Border (release of persons, vehicles and other property through the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan), foreigners and stateless persons holding valid documents to cross the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan may not be allowed to cross the border.

In addition, according to Article 12 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Departure, Entry into country and on Passports”, foreigners and stateless persons may enter and leave the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of ID and visas issued in accordance with international agreements, subject to passing through specially designated checkpoints.

Due to the lack of diplomatic and other relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it is impossible to carry out these procedures at the border. However, this factor doesn’t justify the passage of foreign nationals through the Lachin corridor, which is open for humanitarian purposes.

By the way, the names of those who illegally visited Karabakh are included in the "list of foreign citizens banned from entering the country" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. According to local media, 1,040 people have been included in the list so far. Baku has repeatedly warned about this. The last time Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, warned foreign journalists visiting Karabakh in October 2020, during the Second Karabakh War.

There are accreditation rules that regulate the activities of foreign journalists in Azerbaijan. According to the rules approved on March 18, 2015, foreign journalists must be accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.