YEREVAN, December 9. /TASS/. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces began the heavy shelling of Armenian positions in the Gegharkunik region, the Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Azerbaijani Armed Forces staged another provocation at 04:25 pm on December 9, opening heavy fire from small arms of various calibers on Armenian military positions along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the Gegharkunik region. Armenia retaliated. As of 05:00 pm, the exchange of fire continued," the statement reads.

On Thursday morning, Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported Azerbaijan’s shelling of Armenian positions on the country’s eastern border.

Intense fighting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces broke out in the border areas of Armenia's Syunik Province on November 16. Yerevan said that the Azerbaijani armed forces had launched an offensive into Armenia's territory, which threatened an international highway connecting the Armenian capital with the country's southern regions and Iran. Baku laid the blame on Yerevan, accusing the Armenian Armed Forces of staging a provocation. According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, Armenian troops attacked Azerbaijani positions.

Given the situation, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu held separate telephone talks with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that following the conversations, the Armenian and Azerbaijani defense chiefs took measures to stabilize the situation on the border.