2023-09-21 19:09:54
Russia indicated, Thursday, September 21, that it had recorded five violations of the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, the day after its establishment as part of the capitulation of Armenian separatists in the face of a lightning offensive by Azerbaijan.
“Since the conclusion of the cessation of hostilities agreement, five ceasefire violations have been recorded in the districts of Chucha (two) and Mardakert (three)”the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Shots heard in Stepanakert
While talks began between Azerbaijan and the Armenian separatists, shots, the origin of which is not known, were heard in Stepanakert by an AFP correspondent present on site. Aroutioun Gasparian, a businessman from Stepanakert, for his part spoke of an exchange of fire outside the city.
However, despite “isolated violations”the ceasefire that came into force on Wednesday is ” globally “ respected, said Nikol Pashinian, the Prime Minister of Armenia.
Azerbaijan and the Armenian separatists of Nagorno-Karabakh are nevertheless ready to continue in Yevlakh, a town in Azerbaijan, the talks started the same day on a reintegration of this secessionist territory where the Azerbaijani army has just won a victory flash.
The talks have started
In Baku, the presidency, which described « constructive » the two hours of discussions that the protagonists had, announced that a new meeting would take place ” as quickly as possible “.
“The parties stressed the need to discuss all existing issues in a peaceful environment and expressed their readiness to continue the meetings”for their part commented on the separatists in a press release.
Six men sat around a table. Among them, a representative of Nagorno-Karabakh was visible, David Melkoumian.
The day before, Hikmet Hajiev, an advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, assured that Azerbaijan had “the objective of the peaceful reintegration of the Armenians of Karabakh”who are in the majority.
Six Russian soldiers killed
Furthermore, Azerbaijan gave on Thursday for the first time the number of Russian peacekeepers killed – six in number – during two separate incidents during Baku’s offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to the Azerbaijani General Prosecutor’s Office, Azerbaijani soldiers killed five Russian soldiers on Thursday by shooting at their car, after having “confused” with Armenian separatists. A Russian soldier was also killed the same day by “unidentified members of Armenian armed formations” who shot at his vehicle, according to the same source.
Armenian accusations
For his part, the Armenian Prime Minister on Thursday accused Russia, a contingent of which has been deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh since the last war of 2020, of having failed in its peacekeeping mission in the secessionist territory.
“I don’t think we should turn a blind eye to the failure of the (peacekeeping) contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh”declared Nikol Pashinian, during a televised speech.
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