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China News Agency, Moscow, November 9 (Reporter Wang Xiujun) The Russian Defense Ministry announced on the 9th that a Russian Mi-24 helicopter was shot down in a non-war zone in Armenia, causing 2 deaths and 1 injury. Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan issued a statement acknowledging that the helicopter was accidentally shot down by the Azerbaijani side and was willing to pay compensation to the Russian side.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, at around 5:30 p.m. on the 9th Moscow time, a Mi-24 helicopter was subjected to portable air defense near the city of Erach in Armenia when it was carrying out a mission to escort the convoy from the 102nd military base of the Russian army in Armenia. Missile attack. The helicopter lost control after being hit and crashed. Two crew members on board were killed and another was injured. Military Base 102 is investigating this incident to find out which army carried out the attack.
Later, on the 9th, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement stating that the Azerbaijani Mi-24 helicopter was accidentally shot down. At that time, Russian helicopters flew over areas very close to the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and fighting continued in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Naka) area. In addition, the plane flew at night and at low altitude, and was not in the detection area of the air defense radar. No Russian military helicopters had been seen in the area before. Due to the above factors and the local situation is tense, the troops are in a highly prepared state for combat, so the guard troops decided to open fire.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan stated that Azerbaijan has apologized to Russia for this tragic incident. This was an accident and was not directed at Russia. Azerbaijan expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the crew members killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The UAE side is willing to compensate Russia.
On the same day, the Armenian Ministry of National Defense expressed its willingness to assist Russia in investigating the incident.
The Naka region is located in southwestern Azerbaijan and its residents are mostly Armenians. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought for the Naka region. The two sides reached a ceasefire agreement after the coordination of international organizations in 1994, but the two sides remained hostile.
On September 27 this year, Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted in a new round of conflict in the Naka region. On October 9, Russia, Asia and Afghanistan held closed-door consultations in Moscow on the conflict in the Naka region, which lasted more than 10 hours and ended on the 10th. On the 10th, the three parties issued a joint statement indicating that The parties agreed to a ceasefire in the Naka area starting at 12:00 on 10 October. However, once the ceasefire agreement entered into force, both sides accused each other of launching attacks in violation of the agreement. (End up)
