Massacres in Skovorodino and Manashid Villages Shock Armenia
Azerbaijani forces kill dozens of Armenian civilians in cross-border raids as conflict escalates toward full war
SKOVORODINO, Armenia - Azerbaijani armed groups crossed into Armenia overnight, attacking the border villages of Skovorodino and Manashid in coordinated raids that left at least 27 civilians dead, including women and children.
The attacks, beginning at 3 AM, caught villagers completely off guard. Armed men speaking Azerbaijani surrounded homes, broke down doors, and opened fire on families. Several houses were set ablaze with occupants inside.
“They came for blood, not military objectives,” said Colonel Norat Ter-Grigoryants, commanding Armenian border forces that arrived too late. “This was terrorism designed to force Armenian villagers to abandon border regions.”
In Skovorodino, 11 members of the Abrahamyan family, including four children, were found shot in their home. The youngest victim was 18 months old. Similar scenes of carnage emerged from Manashid, where attackers specifically targeted families of Armenian servicemen.
Escalating Border War
The massacres represent a dangerous escalation in the undeclared war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. While fighting has raged in and around Nagorno-Karabakh for months, direct attacks on villages inside Armenia proper mark a new phase.
“Azerbaijan wants to terrorize our border populations into fleeing,” analyzed Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan. “They’re trying to create a depopulated zone they can later claim.”
The attacks appear professionally planned. Raiders knew exactly which houses to target, suggesting intelligence gathering. They withdrew before Armenian reinforcements arrived, melting back across the poorly marked border.
Retaliation Fears
Armenian forces immediately began preparing retaliatory strikes against Azerbaijani border villages. Young men from across Armenia volunteer for revenge missions, with commanders struggling to maintain discipline.
“My brother’s family was murdered in Manashid,” said volunteer fighter Gagik Harutyunyan. “I won’t rest until their killers pay. Blood demands blood.”
The cycle of raid and counter-raid threatens to expand the conflict beyond Nagorno-Karabakh to the entire Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Both republics lack resources to secure the lengthy frontier.
International Indifference
Despite the gravity of attacks on civilians, international response remains muted. The collapsing Soviet Union cannot intervene effectively. Western powers, focused on the Gulf War and German reunification, pay little attention to Caucasus violence.
“Children are being murdered in their beds, and the world is silent,” protested Armenian Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian. “Where is the international community’s vaunted concern for human rights?”
UN officials express “concern” but take no concrete action. The CSCE sends observers but lacks authority to intervene. The massacres join a growing list of atrocities that receive momentary attention before being forgotten.
Hardening Positions
The Skovorodino and Manashid massacres destroy any remaining hope for negotiated settlement. Armenian public opinion, previously divided on the war’s expansion, now unanimously supports military action.
“Those who spoke of compromise with Azerbaijan should see these children’s bodies,” declared opposition leader Paruyr Hayrikyan at a memorial service. “There can be no peace with murderers.”
In Azerbaijan, state media barely mentions the raids or portrays them as legitimate military operations against “Armenian terrorist bases.” The dehumanization of the enemy accelerates on both sides.
Preparing for Total War
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan now prepare openly for full-scale war. Military conscription intensifies. Weapons flow in from various sources - Russia, Iran, Turkey, and international arms dealers eager to profit from conflict.
“We’re past the point of no return,” admits a senior Armenian military officer privately. “It’s no longer about Karabakh alone. This is becoming a war of national survival.”
As Skovorodino and Manashid bury their dead in frozen ground, the funerals become rallying points for expanded war. Priests bless volunteers heading to the front. Mothers send their sons with prayers and ancestral weapons.
The transformation from ethnic dispute to total war is nearly complete. The massacres of February 20, 1991, will be remembered as a turning point - when the last restraints on violence collapsed and two nations committed themselves to a fight that would devastate both for decades to come.