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Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that Azerbaijani forces accidentally shot down a Russian military helicopter.
The ministry said in a statement that it had received from its Russian counterpart the news of the downing of a Russian Mi-24 helicopter on Monday night, on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The statement noted that the helicopter was flying in the dark at a low altitude in the area near the border during the fighting in the Karabakh region, and out of range of radar systems.
He explained that Russian helicopters had never been seen flying over the area where they were shot down, indicating that the responsible Azerbaijani military unit decided to fire on the helicopter based on previous data, taking into account possible Armenian provocations.
The ministry added: “Azerbaijan apologizes to Russia for this tragic accident that happened by mistake and was not directed against Russia.”
He expressed his condolences to the families of the helicopter crew who lost their lives, and a speedy recovery for the injured, as well as his willingness to provide the necessary compensation.
Earlier Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that a military helicopter had shot down a missile launcher on Armenian territory, killing two of its crew.
In a statement, the ministry stated that the accident occurred around 17:30 Moscow time (GMT +3), while the helicopter was escorting a convoy from the 102nd Russian military base on the territory of Armenia, near the city of “Irsakh” on the border with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The ministry noted that the helicopter lost control and fell in a mountainous area within the territory of Armenia, causing the death of two of its crew, while a third person was seriously injured.
The ministry indicated that the leadership of the Russian military base No. 102 is conducting an investigation to determine the identity of the cause of the downing of the helicopter.
This incident occurs with the intensification of fighting in the “Karabakh” region of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia.
There is no alternative to negotiations
For its part, the United Nations said that “there is no alternative to negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach a permanent peace agreement in the Karabakh region.”
“The Secretary General (Antonio Guterres) closely follows the successive events that are rapidly taking place in Karabakh and his contacts with the two parties (Azerbaijan and Armenia) at various levels also with the heads of the Minsk group.”
The “Minsk” group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States, was established in 1992 with the aim of encouraging Armenia and Azerbaijan and mediating between them to find a peaceful solution to the Karabakh problem.
Dujarric added: “Our greatest concern now in these successive developments, with the continuing heavy weapons fighting in Karabakh, is the safety and protection of civilians.”
He continued: “The two parties have a repeated obligation to cease fire for humanitarian reasons, and they also have a responsibility to ensure that conditions are adequate for humanitarian access to those in need.”
“The two parties must fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians are protected, including civil infrastructure,” he added.
The spokesman stated that “there is no alternative to negotiations to reach a permanent peace agreement.”
Since last September 27, clashes have continued on the front lines between the two countries, after the Armenian army fired massively at residential sites in Azerbaijani villages, causing civilian casualties and causing extensive damage to civil infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan.
In response to the attacks, the Azerbaijani army carried out a counterattack, during which it was able to liberate many areas from the Armenian occupation, Baku announced.
Since 1992, Armenia occupies about 20 percent of Azerbaijani land, which includes the “Karabakh” region and five other provinces in the west of the country, in addition to much of the “Aghdam” and “Fadhuli” provinces.
