Illegal Armenian armed detachments accompanied by Russian peacekeeping forces recorded on Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road says Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry
Azerbaijan demanded on Tuesday that Russia stop assisting Armenia in carrying out “illegal military transports” along the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road.
According to a statement issued by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry, technical surveillance equipment of Azerbaijani army units “again” recorded Russian peacekeeping forces accompanying Armenian armed forces and illegal Armenian armed detachments in transporting military equipment by road.
“The movement of military vehicles of the Armenian armed forces and illegal Armenian armed detachments in convoys from the mentioned road was provided during the day on March 7 under the accomplishment of the Russian peacekeeping forces,” the ministry said.
The ministry stated that Russian peacekeeping forces conducting military transports are “a gross violation of the provisions of the Trilateral Statement,” and that it is “unacceptable and must be stopped immediately.”
The ministry went on to say that if “such actions are not immediately and permanently stopped, the Azerbaijani side will have to take the necessary measures to suppress Armenian actions and illegal Armenian military formations in Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories.”
“The events that occurred once again confirm Azerbaijan’s essential and unavoidable need to establish a regime of control over the Lachin road,” it added.
According to the ministry, at least two Azerbaijani soldiers were killed when Armenian forces opened fire on them after Azerbaijani troops attempted to stop and check vehicles carrying out “illegal military transports” along the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road, where a Russian peacekeeping contingent has been temporarily stationed since the aftermath of the fall 2020 conflict in the Karabakh region and a January 2021 pact with Baku and Yerevan.
Since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions, relations between the two former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense.
Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation in the fall of 2020, after 44 days of fighting. In Azerbaijan, the peace agreement mediated by Russia is hailed as a triumph.
