Fatalities in clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia says the ceasefire violated by Azerbaijan
At least three soldiers were killed in clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces in a disputed territory that is overseen by Russian peacekeeping troops as part of a 2000 truce deal.
Russian officials said the situation was getting more tense and reported at least one violation of ceasefire by Azerbaijani forces.
The defense army of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic announced that two Armenian troops were killed and 14 injured when Azerbaijani troops fired grenade-launchers and used attack drones.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a statement that an Azerbaijani soldier was killed when units came under intense fire from “illegal Armenian armed formations.”
The clashes took place in the Lachin corridor, a strip of land connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia through Azerbaijan that is patrolled by Russian peacekeeping forces, and in the enclave's northeast.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that its forces have conducted a military operation against the Nagorno-Karabakh militias that sought to “establish new combat positions” in the region, and claimed that Azerbaijani troops have taken over control of a number of strategic hills in "Operation Revenge."
The Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on the international community to "take measures to stop Azerbaijan's aggressive actions" and to "launch the necessary international mechanisms," Armenpress reported.