PanARMENIAN.Net – The Russian side’s explanations over the sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan do not withstand scrutiny and are not convincing, deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, lawmaker Armen Ashotyan told reporters on Saturday, July 22.

“The continuous sale of Russian weapons to Azerbaijan remains the thorniest issue in the Armenian-Russian official and unofficial relations,” Ashotyan said, according to RFE/RL Armenian Service.

Russia’s substantiation that the delivery of ammunition to Baku is a mere economic deal and an opportunity to oversee Azerbaijan’s military-technical potential and the regional stability, “does not withstand scrutiny from our viewpoint,” the ruling party’s representative said.

It was revealed in June and July that Russia has delivered Khrizantema anti-tank missile systems, around 200 rockets for TOS-1A systems to Baku. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Azerbaijan has imported 20 times as much weapons in 2011-2016 as Armenia.

“The Russian sides excuses are not convincing for us,” Ashotyan added.