“The Armenian Armed Forces fulfill the tasks set before them on a high level,” former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Tuesday. In Ohanyan’s words, the ongoing military actions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border are local clashes.

“Our Armed Forces, the society should be ready. These local clashes always have consequences. Got forbid this will not lead to full scale war and i see there no grounds and prerequisites for large scale war military actions,” the former defense minister noted.

Ohanyan next expressed confidence in the Armed Forces of Armenia and the Artsakh Defense Army are ready for not only defense but also preemptive, punitive and compelling actions.