Number still unclear
Russian soldiers killed in Nagorno-Karabakh
September 20, 2023, 8:26 p.m
In the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Russia, as Armenia’s traditional protecting power, is currently apparently holding back. Now several soldiers from the Russian peacekeepers are killed on site when their car is shot at. Russian and Azerbaijani representatives are investigating the incident.
According to the Moscow military, several Russian soldiers stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh were killed when their car was fired upon. The Defense Ministry in Moscow said the incident occurred near the town of Janjatag. It did not say how many soldiers were killed. They were returning from an observation post when their vehicle was shot at with small arms fire.
Representatives of Russia and Azerbaijan tried to clarify the incident on site. There were initially no independent confirmations. Nagorno-Karabakh is located in Azerbaijan, but is inhabited by a majority of Armenians. The authoritarian leadership in Baku wants to gain control of the area and has effectively forced the Karabakh Armenians to give up with massive attacks since yesterday, Tuesday. The Russian troops were supposed to secure the ceasefire in the area and the rights of the Armenian population.
Azerbaijan wants “reintegration”
For decades, Russia has been seen as a kind of protective power for Armenians in the region. For months now, despite requests for help from the Armenians, Moscow has not advocated their cause vehemently. In an interview with ntv.de, Stephan Malerius from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Georgia explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin was so absorbed by the war in Ukraine that Russia could not be a strong player in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict .
Malerius goes even further in his assessment: “Putin has changed sides. For over 30 years, the Kremlin was clearly the protecting power of Armenia, and now it is working with Azerbaijan.” The Slavist cites Putin’s “geopolitical calculation” as one of the reasons. According to Malerius, Russia has used the opportunity under sanctions to sell Russian gas to Europe via Azerbaijan over the past two years.
After the capitulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities, Azerbaijan announced that it would strive for the “peaceful reintegration” of the disputed region into its national territory. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been fighting over the enclave since the collapse of the Soviet Union.