Russia Slams Azerbaijan For Violating Truce In Karabakh

Moscow on Saturday accused Azerbaijan of violating a ceasefire agreement by entering the Russian peacekeeping mission's zone in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, the first time Russia publicly assigned the blame for violating the 2020 deal.

Photo Insert: The Russian defense ministry also accused Azerbaijani troops of using Turkish-made drones to hit Karabakh troops.

The Russian defense ministry also accused Azerbaijani troops of using Turkish-made drones to hit Karabakh troops, killing three and injuring 15, while the foreign ministry in Moscow expressed "extreme concern" over the spiraling tensions in the region, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.

The defense ministry in Baku said it "regretted the one-sided statement of Russia's defense ministry, which does not reflect the truth," adding that "Azerbaijan didn't violate a single provision" of the ceasefire agreement.

The two countries' defense ministers had discussed the situation in the enclave and the "Azerbaijani side stated that it is clarifying the positions and deployment locations of its armed forces" on the ground, the ministry said, accusing Armenia of "an attempted provocation" and failure to withdraw troops from Karabakh.

The ministry "requests Russia's defense ministry to fully withdraw the remaining Armenian troops and illegal armed units from the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan."

Incidents between the armed forces of arch enemies Azerbaijan and Armenia have been frequent in recent months but Saturday's announcement was the first time since the end of the hostilities over Karabakh in November 2020 that Moscow has accused one of the parties of violating the uneasy ceasefire.

Moscow denounced the flare-up on the 31st day of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, with signs indicating that both sides were digging in for a protracted conflict in the pro-Western country. The Kremlin said on Saturday that President Vladimir Putin had discussed the situation with Armenian leader Nikol Pashinyan twice -- on Friday and Thursday.

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