Author: Emma Nadirian

Ankara Says Russian S-400 Missile Defense Systems Ready for Operation

Emma Nadirian

January 12,  2020



Russia sold its S-400 Defense System to Turkey

Head of Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries Ismail Demir said on Monday that the Russian S-400 missile defense systems are ready for operation in Turkey, the 24TV channel informs, according to Tass.

“The S-400 are ready for use, the armed forces will decide when such a need arises,” the TV channel quotes Demir as saying.

Demir also said that Turkish enterprises continue working on the project of developing US F-35 fighters, despite Washington’s decision to exclude Turkey from this program.

According to Demir, if Ankara wished to do so, “a second S-400 regiment would already have been in Turkey today.” “This is what would have happened if we had chosen a quick and easy path, but we aim for the maximum. With the information that we get from working with S-400, we plan to reach the S-400 level in our work on creating our own missile defense systems by 2025-2026,” he added.

Russia and Turkey signed a deal on the delivery of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Ankara in 2017. Turkey was the first NATO state to purchase those systems from Russia.

Turkey’s decision to acquire the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile systems caused a sharply negative reaction from the United States and NATO as a whole. The United States is not abandoning its attempts to make Turkey give up the Russian air defense systems. In October 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara was not going to give up the S-400 systems despite the US pressure. He also rejected the threats of sanctions and suggested the United States should finally stop threatening Turkey and try to impose them in reality.

Asbarez: Armenian, Azeri Security Chiefs Meet Again

Emma Nadirian

January 9,  2020



Alexander Bortnikov (right), the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, hosts a meeting of his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts in Moscow on Dec. 28

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—The heads of Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s main security services met again on Saturday to discuss the implementation of the Russian-brokered agreement to stop the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a short statement, Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) said the meeting took place in no-man’s-land at a section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border about 70 kilometers south of Yerevan.

The statement said NSS Director Armen Abazyan and the chief of Azerbaijan’s State Security Service, Ali Nagiyev, discussed “the exchange of prisoners and the search for missing persons.” “Contacts on these topics are continuing,” it added without elaborating.

Abazian and Nagiyev already discussed these issues late last month at a meeting in Moscow hosted by Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service. The NSS said afterwards that they reached unspecified “understandings.”

The ceasefire deal brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 9 calls for the exchange of all prisoners of war (POWs) and civilians held by the conflicting sides. So far 54 Armenians have been freed and returned home. Dozens of others remain in Azerbaijani captivity.

They include 62 Armenian soldiers who were taken prisoner in early December when Azerbaijani forces seized the last two Armenian-controlled villages in Karabakh’s Hadrut district occupied by them during the six-week war.

In a letter to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres publicized earlier this week, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov branded the soldiers as “saboteurs” and indicated the Azerbaijani authorities’ intention to prosecute them on relevant charges.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned Baku’s plans as a gross violation of international law and the Karabakh truce agreement. It accused the Azerbaijani side of “using Armenian prisoners of war as hostages to advance its political agenda.”

Attorney: Armenia PM Pashinyan should be prosecuted

Emma Nadirian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 7 2021
 
 
 
19:42, 07.01.2021
 
 
It is necessary to launch a criminal case and prosecute all those guilty, as well as those who should have been more vigilant and acted in a more disciplined manner during the days of the recent Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war—but which was never done; lawyer Armine Fanyan stated about this at a conference on Thursday.
 
The lawyer substantiated her statement about “betrayal” by the existence of a number of circumstances which, after assessing, turned out to be the composition of the crime committed by the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan. According to her, it complies with the Criminal Code Article 299: "High treason." "Pashinyan, by carrying out inimical actions, helped the enemy [i.e., Azerbaijan] carry out inimical actions against Armenia," Fanyan said, listing the respective actions taken by the PM.
 
Also, she stressed that the Prime Minister of Armenia had voiced live certain information which is not subject to publication.
 
 
 

Sports: Crotone 1-3 Roma: Mkhitaryan on scoresheet

Emma Nadirian
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 6 2021
Crotone 1-3 Roma: Mkhitaryan on scoresheet

A scintillating start was the key as Roma romped to a 3-1 victory over Crotone on Wednesday afternoon.

An early brace from Borja Mayoral, complemented by a 35th minute penalty from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, sent the Giallorossi cruising towards victory – and ensured they are in great form ahead of back-to-back league meetings with Inter Milan and Lazio.

It took just eight minutes for Mayoral to break the deadlock at the Ezio Scida, as Mkhitaryan fed him beautifully inside the six-yard box for the easiest of tap-ins.

Almost 20 minutes later the Spaniard showed he can do it all himself, however: unleashing an unstoppable 25-yard drive after Bryan Cristante had won the ball high up the pitch to put Paulo Fonseca’s side firmly in the driving seat.

When Mayoral was then brought down in the box soon after, it was Mkhitaryan who stepped up – with both Jordan Veretout and Lorenzo Pellegrini on the bench – and converted with the minimum of fuss.

From that point onwards it was something of a stroll for the Giallorossi, although a header from Vladimir Golemic did add a certain element of uncertainty to the final 20 minutes.

Roma are back in action on Sunday – as Inter travel to the Olimpico.


Armenpress: 20 bodies found in Hadrut and Jabrayil sections as search operations continue

Emma Nadirian

20 bodies found in Hadrut and Jabrayil sections as search operations continue

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 12:16, 4 January, 2021

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. Bodies of 19 servicemen and 1 civilian have been found as a result of search operations in the battle zones, in particular in Hadrut-Karmrakuch and Jabrayil directions, the State Emergency Service of Artsakh told Armenpress.

Forensic examination is underway to identify the dead civilian. The examination will also reveal whether the civilian has died in the military operations or has been killed.

So far, a total of 1175 bodies have been retrieved from the battle zones.

Today the search operations continue in Hadrut-Karmrakuch and Mekhakavan (Jabrayil) directions.

Search operations for missing in action also continue in all places, the Service said.

COVID-19: 702 new cases detected in Armenia in one day

Emma Nadirian

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 11:15, 24 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. 702 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 156,142, the ministry of healthcare said today.

1128 more patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 136,766.

2743 tests were conducted in the past one day.

23 more patients have died, raising the death toll to 2714.

The number of active cases is 15,999.

The number of patients who had coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 663 (3 new such cases).

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Georgia maintained neutrality during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Gakharia insists

Emma Nadirian
Panorama, Armenia

Dec 24 2020

The Georgian government was able to maintain neutrality during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the country's The candidate for the premiership Giorgi Gakharia stated on Thursday  during the meeting with ruling Georgian Dream party MPs in parliament. 

"Neutrality made it possible for us to preserve friendly ties with our neighbors,” Gakharia said, as quoted by Agenda.ge. 

In the words of the PM's candidate, as a result of the recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, the number of regional players has increased and Tbilisi is interested in reinforcing the presence of strategic partners in the region at present. 


VoA: Armenia Mourns Karabakh War Victims

Emma Nadirian
Voice of America
Dec 19 2020
By AFP
04:58 AM
YEREVAN, ARMENIA – Armenia on Saturday began three days of mourning for the victims of clashes with Azerbaijan as the opposition kept up pressure on the country's leader to resign over the handling of the conflict.

More than 5,000 people including civilians were killed in Armenia and Azerbaijan when clashes erupted between the ex-Soviet enemies in late September over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The war ended in November with a Moscow-brokered peace agreement that saw the Armenians cede swathes of territory to Azerbaijan, which has been backed by close ally Turkey.

The deal sparked fury in Armenia, with the opposition urging Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign.

On the first day of the national mourning on Saturday, Pashinyan was expected to lead a procession to a memorial complex in the capital Yerevan where victims of the conflict are buried.

The opposition planned to hold a separate march later in the day. Pashinyan's critics have called on supporters to stage a national strike, starting Tuesday.

"The entire nation has been through and is going through a nightmare," Pashinyan said in a video address ahead of the memorial march.

"Sometimes it seems that all of our dreams have been dashed and our optimism destroyed," he added.

The 45-year-old former newspaper editor was propelled to power in 2018 after he channeled widespread desire for change into a broad protest movement against corrupt post-Soviet elites.

But after six weeks of clashes with Azerbaijan, many have called Pashinyan a "traitor" for agreeing to what they say is a humiliating deal with Azerbaijan. He has so far refused to step down.

As part of the peace deal Russia deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeeping troops to Karabakh.

Moscow said on Friday that a Russian mine clearer was killed by a blast in Karabakh when an explosive went off earlier this week.

Azerbaijan continues provocative behavior: Artsakh President on neutralizing security challenges

Emma Nadirian

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 14:45, 16 December, 2020

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Ensuring the security of its citizens is the top priority of Artsakh, because it’s impossible to record success and development in the remaining spheres without secure environment, President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan said in an address delivered today, outlining the future actions in the field of security.

“On the one hand, we have a line of contact with the Azerbaijani side, which has been extended about two and a half times, a direct approaching to our some settlements and very restricted communication measures with Armenia. On the other hand, we have scarce human and technical resources and limited time for strengthening the new frontline, and from the other hand we have security guarantees conditioned by the continuous support of the Armenian people, Armenia and the presence of the Russian peacekeeping troops”, the President said.

He stated that the authorities of Artsakh do the utmost in their powers and capacities to neutralize the existing security challenges and clarify the uncertainties, some of which depend also on the results of the high-level international negotiations. “Nevertheless, regardless of the current objective difficulties, one thing is clear to us: the Defense Army, with the support of all Armenians, will continue its functions and efforts for ensuring the physical security of the people of Artsakh which are being joined by the guarantees of the Russian peacekeeping troops”, he said.

Arayik Harutyunyan said the Azerbaijani side continues its constant provocative behavior, the vivid evidence of which, he said, are their latest actions in Khtsaberd and Berdadzor sections. “Different provocations of the Azerbaijani troops were prevented by the servicemen of the Defense Army and the Russian peacekeepers, and yesterday evening they have been repelled from the outskirts of Hin Shen village of Shushi. These days no one was injured in the Berdadzor direction, and the adversary wasn’t allowed to enter into any settlement. Unfortunately, several dozens of our servicemen have been captured by the Azerbaijani side in the direction of Khtsaberd, and currently the Defense Ministry is clarifying all circumstances. I personally will be consistent with this so that those found guilty will be held accountable. Their quick and safe return should be the focus of our upcoming efforts, and we are already taking actions on this direction.

Taking into account the peacekeeping mandate assumed by Russia in Artsakh, it’s obvious that the violations of the provisions of the November 9 trilateral statement and the line of contact are a disrespect to Russia’s both mediation efforts and peacekeeping mandate. Therefore, we, together with the military-political leadership of Armenia, are working with the Russian side aimed at jointly preventing the Azerbaijani provocations, and the Defense Army is, of course, fulfilling its duties within the existing capacities”, the President of Artsakh said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan