Heavy fighting has broken out between Azerbaijan and Armenia after Azerbaijan appeared to launch a large-scale attack on Armenian territory, triggering a crisis that poses a potentially serious challenge for Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin.
Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of firing on several towns and villages in its border area since Monday, releasing video purporting to show dozens of Azerbaijani troops trying to advance. Azerbaijan claimed its forces began firing after its infrastructure came under fire first, alleging Armenian military movements in the past month suggest preparations for a "large-scale military provocation." Armenia said the claims may be intended as a pretext for military action.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has appealed to Russia and a Moscow-led security bloc of former Soviet countries to come to its aid, triggered a mutual assistance pact. Pashinian on Tuesday spoke by phone with Russia's defense minister, Sergey Shoigu, during which they agreed to "take the necessary steps in the direction of stabilizing the situation," according to Armenia's defense ministry.
The crisis is a challenge for the Kremlin, coming as it is reels from Ukraine's spectacular counteroffensive that routed Russian forces in its northeast this week and when Russia does not have the troops to spare for a major intervention. The collapse of the deal would embarrass Russia and undermine its position as the preeminent powerbroker in the region.
In this image taken from a YouTube footage released by Armenian Defense Ministry on shows Azerbaijanian servicemen crossing the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and approaching the Armenian positions, Sept. 13, 2022.Russia's foreign ministry has expressed "extreme concern" over the fighting and urged both sides to refrain from further escalation.
An ambulance arrives at a military hospital as wounded personnel receive medical treatment after armed clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan outside Nagorno-Karabakh overnight, Sept. 13, 2022.The United States and the European Union have also called for an urgent end to the fighting. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had spoken to both Pashinian and Azerbaijan's President Ilhar Aliyev by telephone Tuesday, calling on both to pull back from further conflict.
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