Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Putin, Armenian PM discuss worsening situation

Russian President Vlimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a third phone call in six days amid worsening situation in disputed territory of Nagor-Karabakh, Kremlin said on October 2. leers reportedly discussed ongoing armed conflict and expressed serious concern over involvement of militants of “illegal armed units from Middle East.”

“Vlimir Putin again emphasized need to immediately stop hostilities and resume political and diplomatic efforts to settle conflict in line with Statement me by ...co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group,” Kremlin said in a statement.

co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France, and US) h earlier released a statement, condemning continued violence in Nagor-Karabakh conflict zone. y expressed alarm at reports of increasing civilian casualties and said that targeting or threatening civilians is “never acceptable under any circumstances.” 

co-chairs stressed that participation in escalating violence by external parties undermines efforts to achieve lasting peace in region. y reiterated ir call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and resumption of substantive negotiations, in good faith and without preconditions. 

“ Co-Chairs also call urgently for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to enable repatriation of remains of fallen servicemen in coordination with OSCE and ICRC,” statement re.

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Deces-old stand-off

two former Soviet states are in an armed stand-off for years over Nagor-Karabakh, a landlocked region in South Caucasus, and heavy clashes re-erupted on September 27, prompting fears of an all-out war. Nagor-Karabakh is internationally recognised as a part of Azerbaijan but it remains disputed because region is controlled by ethnic Armenians. 

Azerbaijan has declared martial law in border areas and Armenia has declared it across country and mobilised its male population after situation escalated in disputed region. Armenia has even accused Turkey of meddling in conflict by sending thousands of mercenaries from Syria, a claim swiftly rejected by Ankara.

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