An Artsakh police vehicle was ambushed by Azerbaijani forces on Mar. 5
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed Sunday’s ambush by Azerbaijani forces of an Artsakh police vehicle that left three officers dead and another in serious condition.
“On March 5, 2023, at 10 a.m., the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan shot at the vehicle of the law enforcement officers of Nagorno Karabakh in the territory of Dukyanlar settlement. As a result of the clashes, three people were killed, and one was injured,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement on Monday. “There were also losses on the Azerbaijani side. two dead and one injured.”
“The clash was stopped with the efforts of Russian peacekeepers. In connection with that fact, the command of the Russian peacekeeping military group is conducting an investigation with the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides,” added the statement.
“The Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to carry out its tasks in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. In thirty observation posts, Russian peacekeepers monitor the situation around the clock and supervise the maintenance of the ceasefire regime,” said Russia’s Defense Ministry.
The Russian foreign ministry on Monday voiced Moscow’s “serious concern” over Sunday’s ambush of an Artsakh police vehicle.
As a result of the latest Azerbaijani attack Lieutenant Armen Babayan, Major David Danielyan and Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan were killed and Lieutenant David Hovsepyan suffered a gunshot wound and is listed in critical condition.
“We express serious concern regarding the increase in tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Over the past few days, multiple violations of the ceasefire have been reported. On March 5, an armed incident took place, as a result of which both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides suffered casualties,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Monday.
She called on the parties to exercise restraint and take steps to ease the tension.
“We reaffirm the need to strictly observe the provisions of the November 9, 2020 statement by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on the complete cessation of fire and all military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone,” Zakharova said.
The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that any security-related issue in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops should be resolved peacefully, through communication between the parties, under the auspices of the peacekeeping troops.
“The incident once again confirms the imperative for Baku and Yerevan to immediately return to the negotiations based on the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020, January 11, and November 26, 2021, as well as October 31, 2022, as well as the unblocking of regional communications, delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and elaboration of the peace treaty,” Zakharova said.