By Asbarez | Wednesday, 03 August 2022
Russia’s Defence Ministry said that Azerbaijan was responsible for violating the ceasefire at the line of contact in Artsakh, when its forces launched an attack on Artsakh positions on Wednesday, killing two soldiers and injuring 19 others.
“Aggravation of the situation is recorded in the zone of responsibility of the peacekeeping contingent. The armed forces of Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire regime in the area of Saribaba hill. The command of the Russian peacekeeping force, together with the representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides, are taking measures to stabilise the situation,” the Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
This was the second such announcement by Moscow, which on Tuesday blamed Azerbaijan for breaching the ceasefire in Artsakh on Monday, when it launched an attack on Artsakh positions in Berdzor (Lachin) as a result of which an Artsakh soldier was wounded.
Starting at around 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Azerbaijani forces targeted Artsakh Defence Army military positions, as well as the permanent location of the military units using mortars and grenade launchers, drones and other heavy artillery.
The Artsakh defence ministry reported that Gurgen Gabrielyan and Artur Khachatryan were killed during these fresh attacks. The ministry also reported that 14 soldiers were injured.
Wednesday’s escalation of Azerbaijan’s aggression prompted Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan to announce a partial military mobilisation, his office reported.
Artsakh’s foreign ministry, in a statement issued on Wednesday, strongly condemned the escalation of aggression by Azerbaijan, calling it “another brutal attempt to violate the peace and stability in the region and discredit the [Russian] peacekeeping mission.” The statement added that the recent attacks were party of Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian policy.
comments
Invoking Zangezur Corridor, Baku and Ankara Say They Want to Normalise Ties with Yerevan
Erdogan Reasserts Preconditions for Normalisation with Armenia
Moscow, Baku Disagree on Parukh Situation in Artsakh
European Parliament Urges Turkey to Recognise Armenian Genocide
Moscow, Ankara Advance 3+3 Caucasus Cooperation Platform
Think Tank with Ties to Aliyev Shaped Swedish, and Perhaps European, Artsakh Policy
U.S. State Department Echoes European Concerns About Future of Armenian Landmarks in Artsakh
Iran Stresses Protecting Sovereign Borders in Yerevan-Baku Talks