Another strike hit the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral (Holy Savior Cathedral) in the city of Shusha in Karabakh, Sputnik Armenia reported
YEREVAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2020) Another strike hit the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral (Holy Savior Cathedral) in the city of Shusha in Karabakh, Sputnik Armenia reported.
According to the agency, Russian journalists were injured in the strike.
Artak Beglaryan, the ombudsman of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), said three journalists had been injured in the strike.
"#Azerbaijan just second time struck the Ghazanchetsots church of #Shushi, there are 3 wounded journalists recording the previous strike effects. It's an intentional & targetted strike to the church & journalists as they were watching by drone," the ombudsman said on Twitter.
Russian blogger Yuri Kotenok was seriously injured in the strike, doctors are fighting for his life, the official press center of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic told Sputnik.
"The Russian blogger and military correspondent Yuri Kotenok was injured. He is in serious condition, the doctors are fighting for his life," the press center said.
Another journalist and their escort suffered minor injuries injuries, the press center said.
Three Russians were injured in the strike, two journalists and one escort, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan told Sputnik.
"During the shelling of the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, Yuri Kotenok, Levon Arzanov and Grant Baladyan were injured," Naghdalyan said, adding that Baladyan, also Russian citizen, accompanied the journalists.
The condition of Kotenok is assessed as extremely serious, the other two are of moderate severity, their lives are not in danger, the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's foreign ministry said.
"The condition of Yuri Kotenok is assessed as extremely serious, unstable. The condition of Levon Arzanov and Grant Badalyan is moderate. Nothing threatens their lives," the ministry said.
Kotenok may need additional surgery, one of doctors treating him told Armenian public television.
"The condition of the victim is grave, now we have completed a certain, thoracic stage of the operation, associated with the chest. He lost about 3.5 liters of blood, we were able to fully recover the loss and stop the consequences associated with this injury. He also has injuries in the abdomen, upper and lower limbs. After stabilization of his condition, he needs additional tests and, possibly, additional surgery," the doctor said.
Earlier, the Armenian Unified Information Center said that the Azerbaijani armed forces struck the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, the city's main temple, which was built in the 19th century and restored in the 1990s. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that the Azerbaijani armed forces were not targeting historical, cultural and religious buildings.
