An Artsakh soldier

STEPANAKERT—The Artsakh Defense Ministry on Friday reported that three soldiers of the Artsakh Defense Army have been wounded as a result of shelling from Azerbaijani positions.

The Ministry identified the soldiers as Robert Gasparyan (born in 1969), Hambartsum Harutyunyan (born in 1997) and Vahe Badalyan (born in 1998).

Head of the Armenian Defense Ministry Medical Department, Kamavor Khachartyan told Azatutyun.am that Gasparyan sustained injuries to his head. He has been treated and is in stable condition. One of the other soldiers suffered injuries to his leg.

The Azeri forces have been violating the ceasefire, firing various small arms, as well as D-30 and D-44 cannons, mortars and grenade launchers since 9 a.m. Friday. The Defense Army has taken retaliatory measures to pressure the rival.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that the Azerbaijani military-political leadership bears full responsibility for destabilization of the situation on the frontline.

Earlier of Friday, the Artsakh Defense Ministry released a video, which clearly shows Azerbaijan deploying weapons and artillery in close and dangerous proximity to residential areas in the Azerbaijani village of Alkhanli just outside of Varanda, formerly Fizouli, in the Artsakh Republic.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that the army never targets civilian targets or population. However, the ministry vowed to take all steps to neutralize Azerbaijani firing posts, “even if Baku chooses to locate them in residential areas, thus using its civilian population as a human shield.”