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PARTIES: The fighting between the Armenian separatists and the Azerbaijani forces is increasing in scope. The image was selected by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry in the ongoing propaganda war. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan
“Russian President Vladimir Putin has no interest in escalating the military conflict between Armenian and Azerbaijani separatists,” Nupi researcher Helge Blakkisrud told VG.
The Norwegian expert on conditions in the Caucasus sees the danger of a serious escalation, despite Putin’s wishes and international calls on the parties to halt the military fighting.
In the past three days, around 100 people have died, including civilians from both sides. On Wednesday, a military base in Armenia was hit by a grenade from Azerbaijani forces.
INJURED: The image was released by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will show surgery performed on what is said to be an Armenian civilian. Photo: PRESS OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARMENIO / BROCHURE / MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARMENIO
– The scale of the fighting, both between the Armenian separatists and between the Azerbaijani military forces, has hardly been greater since the ceasefire came into force in 1994. It seems more serious now than the usual skirmishes that take place along the lines contact. And furthermore, we see that Turkey currently plays an unconstructive role, says Helge Blakkisrud.
Drones and fighter planes
A spokeswoman for the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Anna Naghdalyan, says that Turkish military experts are assisting Azerbaijan in the fighting and that Turkey has also provided the “brother people” with drones and fighter jets, writes Al-Jazeera.
Azerbaijan has denied the accusations, while Turkey has officially called for an end to hostilities. The nations of Turkey and Azerbaijan are closely linked linguistically and culturally.
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– Armenians are Christians and Azerbaijanis are mainly Shiite Muslims. Is this conflict really about religion?
– Ethnicity plays a more important role than religion. As early as the Soviet era, Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave tried to persuade Moscow to accept part of the Armenian Soviet Republic. All of the Caucasus is an ethnic patchwork quilt. The ethnic conflict broke out in earnest at the end of the Soviet era and turned into open warfare between 1991 and 1994, says Blakkisrud.
– What can Russia do in the dangerous situation that has re-emerged in the Caucasus?
– Vladimir Putin will first of all have a continuation of the status quo. In any case, he is not interested in it turning into more military battles and clashes, says the Nupi researcher.
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Russia and NATO are also in the war in the Caucasus
HELL: The Armenian Defense Ministry has released a picture of an ethnic Armenian soldier from the fighting in the controversial Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Photo: ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE / X80001
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council met behind closed doors for a crisis meeting, after France and Germany strongly urged that the inflamed situation be addressed immediately.
None of the countries in the world recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state. The enclave is considered part of Azerbaijan, although the inhabitants are mainly Armenian.
According to the Reuters news agency, the Kremlin says that Russia is constantly in contact with Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Moscow says that supporting one of the parties only helps increase tension and put gasoline on the fire.
