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In the conflict over the South Caucasus region of Nagornyi Karabakh, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has officially asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for help. Yerevan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that Pashinyan asked Putin to initiate an “urgent consultation.” The aim is to discuss the “type and extent of assistance that the Russian Federation can provide to Armenia to ensure its security.”
Nagornyi Karabach had unilaterally declared its independence during the collapse of the Soviet Union. This was followed by a war with 30,000 dead in the 1990s. The self-proclaimed republic is not yet internationally recognized and is considered part of Azerbaijan under international law. Most of it is inhabited by Armenians.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Caucasus region flared up again in late September. According to official information from both parties to the conflict, more than 1,200 people have died since the fighting began. In fact, the number of deaths is likely to be significantly higher. Putin had spoken of nearly 5,000 killed in the fighting last week.
Proxy war between Russia and Turkey
Observers fear the conflict will escalate into an indirect war between Russia and Turkey in the Caucasus. Turkey supports neighboring Azerbaijan in the conflict. Russia maintains good relations with both parties, but is considered to be the military protective power of Armenia.
Attempts by the international community to achieve a durable ceasefire have so far failed. A ceasefire brokered by Russia, France and the United States failed shortly after it took effect on Monday.
During talks in Geneva on Friday, Armenia and Azerbaijan were unable to agree on a new ceasefire. Armenian Foreign Minister Sohrab Mnatsakanjan and his Azerbaijani colleague Jeyhun Bayramov agreed, according to mediators, not to further attack civilians. According to the information, there was also talk of rescuing the dead and a possible exchange of prisoners.
