Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry has accused Armenia of illegally deploying a contingent of the Armenian Armed Forces in the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh.
"In recent days, the instances have been observed of Armenia deploying its armed forces to Azerbaijani territories where the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation are temporarily located, establishing new Armenian military posts near the populated localities of Mukhtarkend, Shushakend, as well as on the territories in the eastern direction of the administrative borders of the Kalbajar and Lachin districts in violation of the trilateral agreement (concluded on November 9, 2020)," a ministry statement that was made public on Wednesday said.
The statement noted that the Azerbaijani army "undertakes adequate measures and prevents such incidents." According to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry, the Armenian side "is persistently using such provocations in order to escalate tensions."
"All of this is happening against the background of an irresponsible and inciting order by Armenia’s new defense minister Arshak Karapetyan to the Armenian army on the use of force by all available means," the statement said.
The statement emphasized that the Azerbaijani army "will ensure all adequate measures are undertaken." "The peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation in accordance with the provisions of the trilateral agreement should put an end to the instances of deploying the Armenian Armed Forces on Azerbaijani territories where they are temporarily located," Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said.
