The buzz around the sale of Russian arms to Azerbaijan

Yuri Kramar, exclusive to VK

For several months in the Armenian media and on internet forums the buzz surrounding the sale of Russian arms to Azerbaijan has not abated.

Let's see what was actually purchased by Azerbaijan from Russia. Anti-aircraft missiles and rockets for them - including the well-known S-300 – open the list. This is the clearest example of "weapons of mass destruction"! This technique is not meant for use in the "ground-air-ground" cycles, but only "ground-to-air" to combat air targets and protect their own borders. Even if some Armenian passenger plane violates the airspace of Azerbaijan, no one will use such a serious system against it. Maximum, if the pilot does not heed the warning of an air traffic controller about the violation of the state border, the offender will be landed at the nearest airfield by the fighter-interceptor. It will be another story, if the Azerbaijani border is crossed by warplanes to bomb military and civilian targets. Then the S-300 will show that the protected borders are secure.

In addition, Azerbaijan bought anti-ship missiles. The navy of any country should have appropriate modern weapons. But the Armenian Navy does not exist because of lack of access to sea of landlocked Armenia. Are Armenian politicians afraid that anti-ship missiles can be used to attack ground targets?

Of course, Azerbaijan also purchased in Moscow other military equipment - tanks and armored vehicles, self-propelled guns, multiple rocket launchers, flame throwers. But what danger do they pose to civilians? Don’t Armenian politicians know the fact that civilians can be easily banished from their native land and even killed with small arms?

However, this technique sometimes still should be used. Azerbaijani armed forces are no exception here. But they have never used the formidable fighting machines against the civilian population, but only against fighters armed to the teeth (by the way, with most modern military equipment), even if they call themselves "army" of defense of the country recognized by no one.

In this regard, we inevitably recall a popular joke in the perestroika period: "The peaceful Soviet plowing tractor was attacked by a NATO tank. The tractor responded with heavy fire. Agriculture Minister Sokolov (in fact, at the time - the Minister of Defense of the USSR) has warned that in the event of further provocations multiple rocket sprinklers, seeders of vertical take-off and other agricultural machinery will be applied against the aggressor". The similar "peaceful" population, like mentioned "agricultural equipment", is the enemies of the Army of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

By the way, Moscow did not allow even formally any violations of treaty obligation under the Collective Security Treaty Organization against Armenia in connection with the sale of weapons to Baku. Because even those weapons that can be used for offensive tasks will still not be used for any "aggression" against Armenia. During all the past two decades of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh the Armenian territories have never been subject to the attacks of the Azerbaijani army. Azerbaijan does not want foreign lands - and that's it. Its only purpose is to protect its land from the encroachment of its neighbor.

On the other hand, the same issue also shows increasing trust between various countries involved in such transactions. If you buy military equipment from someone- so you trust him. And he trusts you, because until the "insurance" will act, it may take some time - so obviously, dangerous products cannot be sold to hostile customers.

Thus, the growing cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in the military sphere in no way indicates any "betrayal" of alliance commitments to Armenia. But at the same time this proves that Baku is daily becoming more and more close partner and ally of Moscow.