On the evening of 25 September 2023, an explosion took place at a petrol station near the town of Khankendi. This explosion was preceded by a deliberate panic among the Karabakh Hayes through Armenian-Khai information sources and telegraph channels about the alleged "threat of genocide". Nationalist channels directly urged "everyone to flee to Armenia urgently", at the same time broadcasting that "there will not be enough petrol for everyone".

As a result, masses of people gathered near petrol stations. This was just what the Dashnak terrorists, who do not stop until they sacrifice "their own", needed. They blew up a tanker full of fuel (it is easy to do this remotely) and began to spread the images of the fire as confirmation of the "beginning of the genocide" on their resources.

At the same time, the terrorist act was used by the Khai propaganda to create another wave of "world pity for Armenians", which could not be caused by the "heartbreaking" images of empty shelves during the so-called "blockade".

The terrorist attack resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries. The Azerbaijani authorities were among the first to come to their aid. To help the injured, an ambulance was first sent along the Aghdam-Askeran-Khankendi road with medical supplies for burns, bandages, medicines (sprays, creams, painkillers, antibiotics, etc.) to treat 200 people. Medics from the Russian peacekeeping contingent also helped the wounded and burned.

There is no doubt that the flight from Karabakh will increase after the terrorist attack. This is what the terrorists and provocateurs wanted. They are directly calling on all Hayes to flee from Karabakh and it is not excluded that soon those who decide to stay will be called "traitors". The reason for this is obvious. The supporters of a multiethnic Hayi state have to prove that Hayis cannot live "safely" not only among Azerbaijanis, but even near them.

Today, the Hay nationalists and terrorists have a new "strategic goal" in their queue. Having failed to conquer Azerbaijani Karabakh, they will try to prevent the opening of the Zangezur corridor. And above all, they will try to prevent the return of Azerbaijani refugees to historical West Azerbaijan - the present territory of the Republic of Armenia. They say that as soon as Azerbaijanis appear there, the "genocide" will begin. And in order to scare the citizens of Hay with "genocide", they will not stop at any terrorist act.

It should be remembered that there is a much more dangerous object under the control of the Dashnak terrorists than petrol stations and tankers. We are talking about the Metsamor nuclear power plant, which the authorities of the Republic of Armenia continue to operate illegally, despite the fact that all deadlines for its expansion have passed and it is hopelessly outdated.

An accident at the Metsamor NPP could happen at any time, even without malicious intent - simply as a result of technical failure or an earthquake. But even more dangerous is the fact that Dashnak terrorists can use the Metsamor NPP as a means of blackmail. And in an extreme case, they could deliberately commit an act of terrorism to turn the land of Western Azerbaijan, which is alien to them, into a radioactive desert, unfit for the life of "their own" or "foreigners". Just so that its indigenous inhabitants would not return to this land. At the same time, such an accident will contaminate the neighbouring countries, including Georgia, with radiation. Let us not forget that it is less than 200 kilometres from Georgia to the Metsamor NPP.

Just as the terrorists in Khankendi did not stop at blowing up a petrol station and burning dozens of their tribesmen alive, there is no doubt that they will not stop at blowing up the Metsamor nuclear power plant.  This is what the terrorists need - proof of the "extraordinary suffering" of the Armenians. They will then "avenge" these victims with new terrorist acts all over the world. The Khai terrorists are so entrenched in the role of "eternal avenger" that they simply cannot return to the normal life that most other peoples of the world live - peacefully, building relations with their neighbours.

Grigol Giorgadze