Russia supplying howitzers to Armenia – Azeri TV
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
14 Apr 05
[Presenter] Although Russia, a co-chair [of the OSCE Minsk Group],
declares that it is trying to strengthen peace in the region, it is
taking completely opposite steps in reality. Official Moscow has
handed over to Armenian occupiers heavy artillery from its military
bases in Georgia. The occupiers used the opportunity and directed
those weapons against Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] Russia has taken a further step towards aggravating
the situation in the South Caucasus. “Son Xabar” has learnt that
sixteen 152-mm howitzers have been moved from Russian military bases
in Georgia to Armenia and installed near [Azerbaijan’s] Qazax
District. This increases the danger that Armenia will step up its
aggressive claims against Azerbaijan. Thus, a 152-mm D-20 howitzer,
which uses a fragmentation land mine projectile, can destroy military,
civil and other facilities at a distance of 17 km. This distance will
increase to 24 km if an active jet-propelled projectile is used.
We should note that there are only seven or eight kilometres between
Armenia’s Idzhevan District, which borders on Azerbaijan, and the
Qazax District centre. Experts believe that if the D-20 howitzer is
used in this sector, it may destroy facilities not only in Qazax and
its villages, but also in Agstafa District.
We should note that there are howitzers that destroy targets at a
distance of 27-40 km. But the important thing here is that by placing
these weapons on its territory, Armenia is grossly violating its
commitments under the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. On the
other hand, although Russia, which is a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group, has undertaken to broker the peaceful settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh problem, it is continuing to arm the Armenian
occupiers and as a result, delaying the resolution of the conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress