The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation as of 13.00 April 21, 2023

The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia

Situation as of 13.00 April 21, 2023

Tensions persist in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh with a tendency to further escalate. Azerbaijani servicemen continue to conduct one exercise after another, using the legend of military maneuvers to covertly regroup and prepare for hostilities.

🔻Events around Armenia and Azerbaijan:

▪️Recently, a special forces exercise was held at one of the training grounds of the Azerbaijani army. Judging by the personnel, within the framework of the training, the emphasis was placed on working out tasks in small groups and actions in mountainous terrain.

▪️At the same time, the Armenian armed forces are also training units. Today, from 10.00 to 16.00, live firing was organized from the Karakhank region in the direction of Artsvakar near Meghri in the Syunik region.

According to Iranian media, at a training ground west of Yerevan, Armenian servicemen tested a new AURS DEV-3 kamikaze drone, created on the basis of the Israeli Harop drone.

▪️Two interesting meetings took place in Yerevan yesterday. One with the participation of Prime Minister Pashinyan and Senior Advisor for Caucasian Negotiations, US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Luis Bono.

And the second in a trilateral format between Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Mnatsakan Safaryan, Head of the Main Department for South Asia of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Sayyid Rasul Mousavi and Head of the Main Territorial Department of the Indian Foreign Ministry Jitender Pal Singh.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen paid a visit to Baku two days before and met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on 19 April. The parties discussed the expansion of cooperation in the areas of security and economy between the countries.

▪️Armenian sources report that Azerbaijani border guards continue provocations in the area of the Sot mine in the Gegharkunik region. The servicemen of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces daily conduct indirect fire near the border, artificially escalating the situation. Because of this, work at the field has been suspended.

And on April 20, Azerbaijanis fired at Armenian positions near the village of Verin Shorzha. According to (https://t.me/mikayelbad/23822) Armenian activist Mika Badalyan, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces used not only small arms.

🔻Events around Artsakh:

▪️For 131 days, the blockade of the highway from Shushi to Stepanakert by Azerbaijani servicemen under the legend of "eco-activists" has been going on. The other day they did not let the cars of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the Red Cross pass through in Artsakh, creating a traffic jam on the highway.

▪️In addition, from the position of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the shelling of the civilian population of Artsakh continues. On April 18, small arms fire was opened on farmers near the village of Aknakhbyur during agricultural work.

🔻The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is heating up. The ongoing preparations of the authorities in Baku for the resumption of hostilities, together with the controversial statements of Nikol Pashinyan, are creating additional tension in the region.

Pashinyan's awkward attempts to maneuver between the West and Russia resulted in conflicting statements about the status of Karabakh and the mission of the CSTO. It is curious that the words about readiness to recognize Artsakh as Azerbaijani territory were voiced at the time of US Assistant Secretary of State Erika Olson's stay in Yerevan.

The actions of the Pashinyan administration raise more and more questions in Armenia itself. In the National Assembly of the country there was a skirmish between the speaker Alen Simonyan and the opposition. And the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II called his call for the resignation of Pashinyan indefinite.

In addition, the Yerevan-Sevan highway was blocked by the parents of 15 dead servicemen in the military shelter of the village of Azat. They demanded a meeting with Pashinyan and Defense Minister Papikyan to explain the reasons for the lengthy investigation into the incident.

The situation in Armenia is already on the verge of being critical, and Pashinyan’s further inaction, together with the provocations of the authorities in Baku, puts the country in a rather precarious position, where any mistake can ignite conflict not only in Artsakh, but throughout the region.

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