Russian Ministry of Defense: the Azerbaijani army entered the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh and launched drone strikes

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Azerbaijani armed forces entered the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is reported by TASS.

The Ministry of Defense clarified that from March 24 to March 25, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the provisions of the tripartite statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020 and entered "the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and set up an observation post."

“Four strikes were made by an unmanned aerial vehicle of the Bayraktar TB-2 type on units of the armed formations of Nagorno-Karabakh in the area of ​​​​the settlement of Farukh,” the report says.

In response, Russia sent a call to Azerbaijan to withdraw troops, the Defense Ministry noted.

Later, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued its statement on the situation. The defense department said they were committed to the tripartite agreement and did not violate it. “It is Armenia that violates the provisions of the statement, not Azerbaijan. The Ministry of Defense states that this statement by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation contradicts the nature of bilateral relations and the Declaration on Allied Cooperation signed between the two countries on February 22, 2022,” the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan believes.

In addition, according to the Azerbaijani side, the Russian defense department should "ensure the complete withdrawal of the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal Armenian armed formations from the territories of Azerbaijan recognized by the international community."

In turn, the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh announced the introduction of martial law on the territory of the republic, reports . Interfax

“The Azerbaijanis set up a post near the Russians, the Russians are trying to take them away. This is all in the village of Farukh, in Stepanakert itself everything is calm, neither shooting nor explosions are heard, ”a local resident told Novaya Gazeta.

Earlier today, the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh asked Putin to increase the number of peacekeepers and military equipment in the region, saying that they are not enough "for the full implementation of the peacekeeping mission in Artsakh."

On March 22, the Armenian Foreign Ministry announced that Azerbaijan had stopped supplying natural gas to Nagorno-Karabakh near the city of Shusha, in connection with this, more than 120,000 residents of the region were left without gas. The statement noted that Azerbaijan "does not stop efforts to exert psychological pressure on the population of Nagorno-Karabakh" and does not allow international humanitarian organizations to enter Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated in September 2020. On the night of November 10, the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan announced a cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and concluded a tripartite agreement. According to the document, the areas included in the so-called Karabakh security belt came under the control of Baku, and Yerevan also transferred the strategically significant city of Shusha to Baku.

Updated 22:49 - Azerbaijan Defense Ministry statement added