Azerbaijani Propaganda Machine Was Lying: 'Hetq'

When Azerbaijan initiated provocations against Artsakh at the beginning of August, using various types of weaponry along the contact line, the country's Ministry of Defense hurriedly announced on August 3 that, allegedly in response to the actions of Armenian forces, the Azerbaijani side had undertaken measures resulting in control over the Krkhkiz and Saribaba heights, as reported by 'Hetq'.

The publication notes that the Azerbaijani propaganda machine was lying about the capture of the Kolataki peak or Krkhkiz height (2680 m) in the mountainous chain of Artsakh (Karabakh), which we wrote about on August 4. The fact is that this peak had come under enemy control after the 44-day war, long before August 2022, therefore the announcement concerning gaining control over it in this August was merely a propaganda fabrication by the Azerbaijanis, directed more towards consumption by the domestic audience.

However, Baku's propaganda machine was also deceitful when claiming control over the Saribaba height. To understand what has actually transpired, one must go back a year.

The Saribaba height (2296 m) is located on the border of the Kashatagh (Lachin) and Shushi regions. When on November 9, 2020, Nikol Pashinyan agreed to hand over Kashatagh to the Azerbaijanis, their armed groups soon appeared near the village of Yeghtsahogh in the Shushi region, adjacent to Kashatagh.

The mountainous chain of Artsakh had separated the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) from the Soviet Azerbaijani regions of Kalbajar and Lachin during Soviet times. Today, the mountainous chain serves as the contact line between the Artsakh Defense Army and the Azerbaijani armed forces. The peaks of Saribaba and Kolataki are part of this mountainous chain.

After the 44-day war, the positions on Saribaba were held by the Artsakh Defense Army (see above). From this position, there is a direct line of sight to the valley of the Haghari River that runs from north to south through the Kashatagh region, which has been under enemy control. Naturally, the strategic significance of Saribaba cannot be overstated, and one can understand the Azerbaijanis' desperate attempt to seize it.

The village of Yeghtsahogh in the Shushi region is located at the foot of Saribaba; the distance from the peak to the center of the village is a straight line of 3.8 km. As of August 2021, servicemen of the Artsakh Defense Army were positioned on Saribaba. Another Armenian position was situated on the road leading from Yeghtsahogh to the ruins of the former Khmarnlar settlement in the Kashatagh region (1625 m). The Azerbaijanis, in turn, were positioned in the territory of Khmarnlar, in the old barn building (1520 m).

In mid-August of last year, the situation at the borders of Yeghtsahogh escalated as Azerbaijanis advanced from the barn and began engineering works to entrench themselves. Russian peacekeeping forces intervened. It was decided that the Azerbaijanis would withdraw to their previous position at the barn, while the servicemen of the Defense Army from the Armenian positions near Yeghtsahogh would leave, to be replaced by Russian peacekeepers conducting patrols.

The difference was that the Armenian posts would remain empty, while the Russian patrol service would imply only daytime surveillance. The mayor of Yeghtsahogh, Artak Hakobyan, reported that on the morning of August 19, the Azerbaijanis withdrew to the barn area.

In the daily maps disseminated by the Russian peacekeeping forces that illustrate the situation in their area of responsibility, since August 20, 2021, patrol routes of peacekeepers began to be shown, including in the early phases the number of patrol personnel and vehicles were also displayed.

It is noteworthy that the first report on patrol activity by the Russian side appeared on August 18, 2021. “In order to monitor the ceasefire regime, patrols have been conducted by mobile groups of the Russian peacekeeping forces in the Martakert and Martuni regions and along the Lachin corridor,” stated that day’s report.

By examining satellite imagery from the European “Sentinel-2” satellite around the Yeghtsahogh-Saribaba-Khmarnlar triangle, we see that the enemy began engineering work in late November 2021, from the barn area towards the contact line. Comparing the images from November 22 and those from November 27 and December 4, the last two clearly show the road stretching from the barn to the east.

Thus, the Azerbaijanis have cleared a road from the barn at an elevation of 1520 m to the ruins of the former Aghbulag village at an elevation of 1720 m, right under the peak of Saribaba. However, the situation in this area remained relatively calm until this August.

In the context of the August provocation, the enemy attempted to establish control over the Saribaba peak, but they were unsuccessful. First, it should be noted that the Saribaba height is a mountain range stretching from northwest to southeast (or vice versa), with a portion over 2000 meters high extending about 7 km. In two sections, the height of the mountain range exceeds 2200 m. After the war, the positions of the Artsakh Defense Army were located at these two highest sections of Saribaba.

According to various maps, it should be noted that one of these sections is located within the former NKAO territory, while the other is in the Lachin region (which means that the former administrative boundary between NKAO and the Lachin region passed right over Saribaba). Moreover, the highest point at 2296 m is located within NKAO territory.

There is a mountain road that runs along the Saribaba mountain range. If the Armenian side has ascended this road and positioned in the highest two points of the mountain, then this August, the enemy attempted to ascend from their side and reach the peak, capturing it, but they failed.

Ultimately, the Azerbaijanis have positioned themselves approximately at the 2200 m mark, nearly 700 m from the Armenian position at an elevation of about 2260 m. The mayor of Yeghtsahogh, Artak Hakobyan, described the existing situation on August 8 to the Azatutyun radio station saying, “In the highest part, it is our territory, our defense army controls it. Now, according to the map, that section falls within their territory, and the Russian is standing in that area as a peacekeeper, they are in their territory, our defense army is with the Russian at our territory, with one being about 50 meters from each other in front and back.”

If we simplify what the mayor has said, it essentially yields the following picture: the Azerbaijanis have positioned themselves outside of the former NKAO territory in their controlled area at around 2200 meters. At the Armenian position, which is slightly outside of the NKAO territory at about 2260 meters, Russian peacekeepers are standing, while in the position within NKAO territory (the highest peak of Saribaba at 2296 m) there are the Defense Army and Russian peacekeepers. As we can see, the Defense Army and peacekeepers hold a commanding position over the enemy, which can be considered a restraining factor, but regardless of everything, it is problematic that the Azerbaijani positions atop the mountain have visibility over Yeghtsahogh.

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