"It Is Not Too Late to Encircle the Azerbaijanis in a Park" - Norat Ter-Grigoryants

The military command of Artsakh must urgently develop a plan to encircle and eliminate the Azerbaijani army’s diversionary groups that have infiltrated Shusha. The situation is extremely dangerous and unconventional; unexpected solutions are required. This opinion was expressed in a conversation with Sputnik Armenia by one of the creators of the Armed Forces of independent Armenia, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Soviet Union Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Norat Ter-Grigoryants.

Intense battles are ongoing near the fortified city of Shusha. Ter-Grigoryants noted that although the Artsakh Defense Army has inflicted significant damage on the diversionary groups, they still pose a serious threat that must be neutralized as quickly as possible.

"Now, reinforcements must be sent to Shusha, and we need to chain the enemy's main grouping with powerful fire strikes, constrain their forces with explosive barriers, and deploy forces to eliminate the advancing groups. Otherwise, they could create numerous problems for our command," stated Ter-Grigoryants.

The general explained the tactics of the Azerbaijani forces: certain areas are captured, platforms are established there, Armenian troops are isolated, and then other subdivisions approach them. Furthermore, through their actions, the enemy forces Armenian command to shift troops from other directions, leading to the weakening of those segments. It is precisely in these weakened areas that Azerbaijani units are thrown in.

"In reality, this is a very cunning tactic. There is a general rule in warfare: whoever tricks more intelligently wins. Whoever misleads the opponent first has the advantage," said the general.

One of the main issues for the Armenian army, according to Ter-Grigoryants, is maintaining operational integration. They must do everything to prevent the enemy from cutting the communication between the defending units and disrupting the defensive chain.

However, it has happened, and to rectify the situation, it is never too late. For example, a "park" could be organized for Azerbaijani troops that have reached Kovsakan (Zangelan). According to Ter-Grigoryants, with some effort, it is possible to cut off the communication of the Azerbaijani army. If they remain without serious reinforcements, they can be easily shattered and pushed back towards the Arax River. This could have been done during the first days of the capture of Zangelan, but it was not. As a result, the Azerbaijani troops have been allowed to turn north towards Berdzor (Lachin).

Speaking about mobilization, the general noted that even before the current battles in Artsakh, he emphasized the necessity of establishing a territorial defense system. He personally raised this topic in discussions with former President of the Republic of Artsakh, Bako Sahakyan. It was necessary to prepare all local men for war in advance, issue each of them a firearm, keep that weapon in police departments or military enlistment offices, and conduct regular training and military gatherings with them.

"During combat operations, the territorial defense engages in the protection of rear military facilities and key infrastructure, while the regular army fights on the front line. And if these individuals are also trained to operate automatic anti-aircraft positions, they will indeed be invaluable," concluded our interlocutor.