One consequence of the fallout of the Soviet Union was the emergence of several “frozen conflict” zones throughout the empire’s former republics as large communities of various ethnic people groups found themselves now living in countries where they were a demographic minority. These situations have led to multiple armed conflicts in the region over the past 30 years with the most recent flareup occurring in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region within the borders of Azerbaijan populated by an overwhelming majority of ethnic Armenians. This course looks at the history of Nagorno-Karabakh and what has contributed to the escalated tensions which have brought Armenia and Azerbaijan to the brink of war in recent weeks. The first three lessons will prepare you to read a Russian language article while the last two will prepare you to watch a video. Some sample vocabulary from the course includes: бой – battle, conflict; напряженный – tense; спорная территория – disputed territory; вертолёт – helicopter; военное положение – martial law
