Russia has said it has called on Azerbaijan to withdraw its troops and is “making efforts” to move troops to their original positions. He also said that Azerbaijan had carried out four drone strikes in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry refuted Moscow’s version of events and described Russia’s statement as “one-sided.” He said “illegal” Armenian armed forces had attempted a sabotage operation but had to back down when “immediate measures” were taken. He reiterated Azerbaijan’s commitment to the “tripartite declaration” – an agreement it signed with Armenia and Russia in November 2020 to end the military conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region after more than a month of bloodshed. Azerbaijan emerged victorious in this conflict, having recaptured territories it had lost in a previous war between 1991 and 1994. However, many questions remain unresolved, including the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenians living there. Moscow has deployed nearly 2,000 post-ceasefire peacekeepers in the region, reaffirming its role as police and head of government in a volatile part of the former Soviet Union where Turkey also has growing influence thanks to its close alliance with Azerbaijan. (Report by Reuters reporter Nailia Bagirova, Editor: Christina Fincher)
