Armenian Defense Ministry Confirms Azerbaijani Forces Advanced in Vardasar Area a Year Ago

The Armenian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that Azerbaijani troops advanced in the Vardasar area of Syunik province about a year ago, in response to a query from Sputnik Armenia.

It was revealed in early May that Azerbaijani forces had moved southward significantly within Armenian territory near the Vardasar area nearly a year prior. This information about troop deployment coincided with data published by the former Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan. In April, he released an interactive map showing the placement of Azerbaijani troops within Armenian territory, indicating that positions were established not only near the village of Nerkhin Hand but also southward towards the village of Tsav.

However, at that time, in response to inquiries from the media, the Ministry of Defense asserted that there were no Azerbaijani positions in the territories adjacent to the village of Tsav.

Furthermore, when asked if there were any other instances of Azerbaijani armed forces infiltrating areas beyond the Gegharkunik region's Vardenis (Kout, Verin Shorja, etc.), as well as sessions in Syunik's Sevan Lake, Ishkhanasar, and Nerkhin Hand, the Ministry stated that no new incidents had been documented besides previous intrusions into Armenian territory.

Upon examining satellite maps, on May 10, the media decided to send another inquiry to the Ministry of Defense, presenting satellite images and indicating the areas where engineering work had been carried out near Vardasar. They requested clarification on whether the positions visible in the photograph belonged to Azerbaijani forces, and if so, when the infiltration occurred.

The response received was: “The combat positions marked by arrows were established by the enemy in May-June 2021.”

It should be noted that there has been no official information from Armenian authorities regarding Azerbaijani intrusions in this area or the vicinity of Nerkhin Hand over the past year.