Russia prevents Azerbaijan positional changes, 2-year-old boy dies in Armenia, 08.02.21 digest

Armenian News - NEWS.am presents daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 08.02.2021:

• Bodies of two more Armenian soldiers have been found in Artsakh searches.

As of Monday morning, a total of 1,367 bodies have been retrieved.

• Russian peacekeepers have prevented Azerbaijani positional changes.

An incident has occurred between Russian peacekeepers and Azerbaijanis on the Kapan-Chakaten road section as the Azerbaijanis tried to advance their positions. Russian peacekeepers later blocked the road to prevent any further incidents.

• The Russian military has helped Azerbaijan deliver 150 tons of humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh.

The convoy of 20 trucks and five accompanying vehicles transported construction materials to the Kelbajar region where electricity and water supply to social facilities and residential buildings are being restored.

• Lithuania MPs have called on Azerbaijan to speed up an exchange of bodies, POWs, and captives.

Members of the Lithuanian legislature’s interparliamentary group with Armenia have issued a statement in this regard.

The immediate return of the captives will be one of the first steps in restoring the climate of trust between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the statement says.

The Lithuanian MPs also called on the European Union agencies to consistently raise this humanitarian issue in the context of relations with Azerbaijan.

• Armenia opposition movement coordinator has scheduled the next rally for February 20.

Meanwhile, the My Step parliamentary faction met Sunday PM Nikol Pashinyan and those present noted that the proposal to hold snap parliamentary elections did not receive a positive response from the parliamentary opposition. According to them, the population does not require snap elections as well.

Asked why the authorities refused to go to snap elections, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a coordinator of the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement, told reporters that the authorities probably tried to understand if they have ratings or not.

“They clearly understand that they will suffer a crushing defeat,” he added.

• A two-year-old boy has died in Armenia’s Ararat Province.

According to the preliminary conclusion, the child had been beaten, as traces of bruises were found on his body.

The child's mother and stepfather were brought to the police department. According to them, the boy had accidentally taken two sleeping pills at home. Police and investigators also have information that the child's mother and grandmother had beaten the child, and then had given him sleeping pills.

A criminal case has been launched in this regard.

• 89 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia, bringing the total number to 168,177.

The death toll has reached 3,123.

The number of people recovered is 159,876, and the number of people currently being treated is 4,395.

• The dollar and the euro exchange rates are still rising in Armenia.

The exchange rate of the US dollar has reached AMD 521.80 - up by AMD 0.67, while the exchange rate of the euro totaled AMD 627.67 - up by AMD 3.46.