Azerbaijan claims calm border after "Retribution" operation

After the "Retribution" operation conducted in Nagorno-Karabakh, the situation in the territory where the Russian peacemaking contingent is temporarily stationed, as well as on the border, is relatively calm, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 3, Azerbaijan announced the "Retribution" operation in Nagorno-Karabakh in response to the murder of an Azerbaijani military serviceman. The Azeri MoD also reported the occupation of dominant heights by its army. Baku has demanded an immediate removal of Armenian militaries from Nagorno-Karabakh and threatened to take "even more destructive countermeasures" in case of provocations on the contact line. Authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh have called on the world community to react to Baku's actions. The Russia's MoD blamed Azerbaijan for violating the ceasefire regime. The peacemakers' command, together with representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian parties, is taking measures to stabilize the situation, the MoD has reported.

After the "Retribution" operation conducted in Nagorno-Karabakh, where the Russian peacemaking contingent is temporarily deployed, there is a relative calmness there and on the border, the Azeri MoD has reported.

"The operative situation is completely controlled by our units," the "Report" outlet has quoted the MoD.

The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has linked the August 3 escalation with Azerbaijan's attempts to unilaterally change the legal regime in the Berdzor Corridor. According to the MFA, there is still no plan approved in the trilateral format (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia), according to which a new traffic route should be laid along the Berdzor Corridor, providing a link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

The MFA notes that on August 3, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces once again, by violating the trilateral ceasefire statement on the Karabakh conflict zone, "undertook an aggression in the responsibility zone of the Russian peacemaking forces, which led to new victims."

The MFA has urged all the parties to the tripartite statement to stick to their commitments.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 4, 2022 at 10:42 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.