Armenia-Azerbaijan New Borderline Marks Emerge

“The Ministry of Defence [of Armenia] ordered the serviceman to leave the advantageous positions in Kapan tomorrow,” said the mayor of Kapan city in the southern Syunik Province. He added that these positions ensure the security of 13 villages in the Province. [Hetq] “This will enable the adversary to advance towards the Armenian settlements,” he said.  According to the mayor, the road leading from the city to four rural settlements will go through the adversary’s territory. [tert.am] 

Following these developments, residents of Syunik have blocked the road neighbouring Kapan Airport. They demand the respective authorities to provide clarifications about the trilateral statement which sets that the sides of the conflict will stand at their positions while the recent development prove the opposite.

With reference to the issue, the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan said today that the situation in Syunik Province is under the control of Armenian forces and that the troops have been dispatched to the area. [Hetq]

The Armenian Ministry of Defence informed that Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan met with Russian peacekeepers to discuss the plan of deploying Russian border guards near the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in Syunik Province. [Mediamax]

Bodies of Nine Armenian Servicemen Found in Hadrut province

According to preliminary information, the bodies of 9 Armenian servicemen found near the Armenian military positions in the direction of Hin Tagher-Khtsaberd. The bodies were handed over to the Defence Army of the Republic of Artsakh by the Russian peacekeeping troops on December 16. Necessary actions are being taken at the moment to identify the bodies and find out the circumstances of the soldiers’ death. [Artsakh Defence Army]

Following the Azerbaijani armed forces attack in the area of Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd villages in the Hadrut region of Artsakh on December 11, the Artsakh Defence Army confirmed that more than 75 servicemen were besieged by Azerbaijani forces. The Ministry of Defence of Armenia confirmed today the authenticity of a footage showing the Armenian servicemen being evacuated from the besieged villages. “The operation was carried out with the active participation of the Russian peacekeepers, under the direct mediation of the commander, Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov,” the Ministry reported. [Armenian Ministry of Defence]

ECHR rejects Azerbaijan’s request to lift interim measures lodged by Armenia

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), as a result of the actions taken by the Office of Armenia’s Representative at the ECHR, has rejected the demand of the Azerbaijani government to eliminate the interim measure applied on September 29, 2020, Armenia’s Representation at the ECHR told Armenpress.

“The European Court particularly has taken into account the fact that the demands for applying interim measure for the protection of rights of captured persons and the evidence on that continue to be presented against Azerbaijan. The Court has also noted that Azerbaijan has not regularly fulfilled the demands of the Court to provide respective information about that persons,” the statement says.

Moscow to increase the number of peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh

Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a press conference that Moscow can increase the number of peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh upon the agreement of all parties. 2000 Russian peacekeepers have been deployed along the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan according to the statement signed by Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9.

“The status quo should be registered in Nagorno Karabakh, but with communication between Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, which is why the so-called Lachin corridor was planned. That is, the corridor connecting Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,” Putin said. [Hetq.am]