Such Statements Can Harm Russian-Azerbaijani Relations: Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry to Russia's Defense Ministry

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has issued a statement asserting that the use of the term Nagorno-Karabakh by the Russian Ministry of Defense in the context of humanitarian aid sent to Ukraine is unacceptable.

On Monday, the Russian military department informed that food and essential items had been sent from Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh to the regions of Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine.

In this context, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry noted that there is no administrative unit called Nagorno-Karabakh within the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The ministry also emphasizes that the Russian authorities have repeatedly stated their support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and inviolability of its borders.

“However, contrary to the official position of the Russian Federation, official statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense and previously mentioned under that name refer to Azerbaijan's sovereign territories. Such statements can harm Russian-Azerbaijani relations and lead to an escalation of tensions in the Azerbaijani territories where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed,” the statement from the Azerbaijani military department reads.