Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus Crisis Group Role Olesya Vartanyan is Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for the South Causasus region. Based in Tbilisi, she researches and produces reports on regional security issues in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, with a particular focus on breakaway regions in the South Caucasus – Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia. Professional Background Olesya Vartanyan has worked on conflicts in the South Caucasus for more than ten years. Before joining Crisis Group in 2016, Olesya worked as a journalist, with a particular focus on security and conflict-related issues in Georgia and its breakaway regions. With her field reporting during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, Olesya contributed to the ground-breaking investigations of The New York Times about the origins of the conflict. Enjoying unique access to Abkhazia, for a number of years she covered crisis developments in this region for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. In 2013, Olesya received the first EU Monitoring Mission’s special prize in Peace Journalism. She holds master degrees from the King’s College London’s War Department and from the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs’ Media School. Languages Russian (Fluent) English (Fluent) Georgian (Advanced) Armenian (Intermediate) In The News 3 Oct 2020 This is a more serious escalation [over Nagorno-Karabakh], much better prepared, with more troops, and happening simultaneously on all parts of the front line. The Economist Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus 28 Sep 2020 We are a step away from a large-scale war (between Armenia and Azerbaijan). Al-Jazeera Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus 16 Jul 2020 It seems unlikely the [Azerbaijan-Armenia] crisis would escalate, as neither side has territorial claims on northern border areas and the fighting had not spread to Karabakh itself. Al Jazeera Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus 13 Jul 2020 Many people would be very surprised if clashes at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border spiral out into war, but that doesn’t mean something cannot happen, say, in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. OC Media Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus 20 Jan 2020 [January] events in Abkhazia come at a time of long-simmering tensions. Civil.ge Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus 6 Aug 2018 The current situation does not contribute to the post-war reconciliation [between Russia and Georgia] - it only fuels conflict with an increasing feeling of injustice for [people] living near the dividing line. Al Jazeera Olesya Vartanyan Senior Analyst, South Caucasus Latest Updates Commentary / Europe & Central Asia 26 April 2018 “Velvet Revolution” Takes Armenia into the Unknown Massive street protests have brought down Armenia’s long-serving leader Serzh Sargsyan. Meanwhile, tensions persist in the unresolved conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. Both Armenia’s new leadership and Azerbaijan must pay attention to avoid triggering a new conflagration along that territory’s volatile front lines. Also available in Русский Op-Ed / Europe & Central Asia 21 February 2018 30 лет оказалось недостаточно для решения карабахской проблемы 30 лет назад началось движение карабахских армян за присоединение к Армении, положившее начало противостоянию с Азербайджаном, конца которому не видно по сей день. Originally published in Netgazeti Op-Ed / Europe & Central Asia 16 October 2017 Rare Summit Meeting on Nagorno-Karabakh Peace A rare meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan on 16 October 2017 could lead to a breakthrough. But the two countries have very different ideas on how to reconcile their competing narratives and goals in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Originally published in JAM News Also available in azərbaycan, Հայերեն, Русский and other languages