We Must Ask Russia Direct Questions and Expect Direct Answers: Karen Hovhannisyan

Armenian authorities must directly communicate with the Kremlin, present the urgency of the situation, and clearly state: either people must fight and die in battle, or they must simply leave and exit their homeland. We need to ask Russia direct questions and expect direct answers. This is stated by political scientist Karen Hovhannisyan.

“The enemy has control over a strategically important height. If this had happened through military operations, it would have been somewhat understandable, but it occurred... First, the positions in the village of Parukh were removed through the mediation and confidence of Russian peacekeepers, supposedly as a mirror version of withdrawing positions and demilitarizing the region, while... After the positions were removed, the enemy entered the village, armed, demanding that the remaining people leave the village under threat of weaponry, and then moved towards the height.

The statement made on November 9, 2020, was signed by Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan, meaning that the responsibility for the safety of the residents of Artsakh lies with at least three states. Russia has the greatest security obligation as it has deployed peacekeeping forces there, whose function includes ensuring the safety of the civilian population. What has occurred today must be a red line for us. The command of the peacekeepers stationed in Artsakh can no longer fulfill its mandate to ensure the safety of the civilian population.

Since one of the signatory parties is Armenia, Armenian authorities must directly communicate with the Kremlin, present the urgency of the situation, and clearly state: either people must fight and die in battle, or they must simply leave and exit their homeland. We need to ask Russia direct questions and expect direct answers.”