Aggressor Azerbaijan Responds to Russia and Poses New Accusations

The aggressor Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense has issued a statement regarding the Russian Ministry of Defense's comments about the situation in Artsakh.

The statement notes that Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense "regrets the one-sided statement made by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on March 26, 2022, which does not correspond to reality."

"On March 25, during a phone conversation between Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, the situation in Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping forces are temporarily stationed, was discussed. During the conversation, the Azerbaijani side stated that the positions in the area are being clarified. However, on the morning of March 26, Armenian armed groups attempted to carry out a diversion against Azerbaijani army units. As a result of the measures taken, they were forced to retreat," the statement says.

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense emphasizes that "Azerbaijan is committed to the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, and has not violated any of its provisions."

"Unfortunately, according to the 4th point of that statement, the complete withdrawal of the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal Armenian armed formations from Azerbaijani territory has not yet been carried out. Therefore, it is Armenia that violates the provisions of the statement, not Azerbaijan."

According to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense, the Russian Ministry of Defense's statement contradicts the essence of bilateral relations and the Declaration on Allied Cooperation signed between the two countries on February 22, 2022. "There is no administrative territorial unit called 'Nagorno-Karabakh' in Azerbaijan. The village mentioned in the statement is not called Purukh, but rather Farukh. In this context, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan calls on the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to ensure the complete withdrawal of the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal Armenian armed formations from Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territories."

The statement also notes that Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense requests that the term "Nagorno-Karabakh" not be used and that the names of Azerbaijani territories be accurately identified.