Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus supported by Armenia. Artsakh controls part of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, including the capital of Stepanakert. It is an enclave within Azerbaijan. Its only overland access route to Armenia is via the 5 km wide Lachin corridor which is under the control of Russian peacekeepers. No U.N. member states have recognised Artsakh.

On September 27, 2020, fighting broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Artsakh, which may have claimed thousands of lives. Azerbaijan recaptured territories, primarily in the southern part of the region. A ceasefire agreement signed on 10 November 2020 between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia declared an end to the renewed fighting, and established that Armenia would withdraw from remaining occupied territories surrounding the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast over the next month, while maintaining control over the areas of the former oblast that had not been captured during the war. The deal includes provisions for a Russian peacekeeping force to deploy to the region, with Russian President Vladimir Putin stating that he intends for the current agreement to “create the conditions for a long-term settlement”.