79 Persons Returned Through Russian Peacekeepers' Mediation: Zakharova

During the weekly briefing of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, Public Television journalist Mery Egoryan posed two questions. The first was about whether the Russian side has data on the number of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan. The second question concerned the topic of unblocking roads discussed during the meeting of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan and the developments regarding this issue.

Starting with the second question, Zakharova advised following the official document published on the Russian government’s website on February 28 regarding the outcomes of the Deputy Prime Ministers’ meeting.

She then addressed the issue of Armenian captives. “The stances of the parties on this issue differ, and we continuously discuss this matter. The numbers published in Yerevan change periodically, while different information comes from Baku. In the case of significant discrepancies, we recommend addressing this issue directly with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides,” Zakharova stated.

As of today, a total of 79 people have been returned through the mediation of Russian peacekeepers, including 63 Armenians and 16 Azerbaijanis. Zakharova reiterated Russia's position on this matter—the best formula for exchange is the principle of 'all for all.'

“We hope the swift resolution of this issue will allow the parties to turn a tragic page and focus on advancing a positive agenda, including in the economic sector,” Zakharova mentioned.