The Capture of Lachin and the Establishment of a Land Connection, May 1992

Before May 1992, Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenian population lacked a secure land route directly connecting the region with Armenia.

The Lachin district lay between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Its control was therefore strategically critical.

On May 18, 1992, Armenian forces captured Lachin, known in Armenian as Berdzor.

The operation established a land connection between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Strategic consequences

The Lachin route enabled the movement of food, medical supplies, fuel, personnel, and military equipment.

For Karabakh Armenian forces, it transformed logistical conditions.

Previously, the region had depended on vulnerable roads and air connections.

The land corridor improved supply reliability and reduced the risk of isolation.

However, the operation also extended Armenian military control beyond the boundaries of the former autonomous oblast.

The Azerbaijani population of Lachin was displaced, and the district became part of the territorial dispute.

The corridor was regarded by Armenian authorities as essential to Nagorno-Karabakh's security.

Azerbaijan regarded its capture as an occupation of sovereign territory.

The distinction between the Armenian-majority autonomous oblast and the surrounding Azerbaijani districts became increasingly important as the war expanded.