New clashes on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Three Armenians have died in clashes that erupted along the border today as Azerbaijanis launched a new incursion into Armenian territory, the Armenian Defense Ministry said.

“Azerbaijani forces launched an attack with mortars and large-caliber weapons on the eastern part of our border,” the Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement. “Three people from the Armenian side were killed as a result of the attack.”

As a result of a new @Azerbaijani attack 3 Armenian soldiers have been killed today within the territory of @Armenia. This is an attack against Armenian independence, sovereignty and democracy. The Azerbaijani invasion must be condemned and stopped. #StandForArmenianDemocracy!

— Nikol Pashinyan (@Nikol Pashinyan) September 28, 2022

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on his Twitter that three Armenians were killed “as a result of an attack on the independence, sovereignty and democracy of Armenia.”

“The withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops and the deployment of international observer forces in the territories of Armenia occupied by Azerbaijan and in the border areas is an absolute necessity,” he said.

Clashes, in which about 300 people were killed, broke out on September 13 on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The two countries are blaming each other for the worst military action since the 2020 war. Although the crisis seemed to have deflated in recent days, the situation on the border between the two former Soviet republics remains tense.

The two countries have been at war for decades over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is historically populated by Armenians but was part of Azerbaijan during Soviet times. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, they were involved in two wars – in the early 1990s (more than 30,000 dead) and in 2020 (6,500 dead). However, the recent outbreak has not been focused on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh, but on part of the Armenian territory, which changes the situation dramatically.

What is happening is that Azerbaijan, proud of having won the 2020 war with the help of Turkey, is now trying to invade Armenia and seize its territory. Azerbaijanis take advantage of their geopolitical position and the fact that the West needs them to supply gas at a critical time. Of course, this is not enough, but if this source is also blocked, EU will find itself in an even deeper crisis. Therefore, no one in Brussels dared to utter the word “invasion”, but they are talking about mutual hostilities. Words lose or acquire meaning depending on geopolitical sympathies.

However, the Armenians, realizing that they were lagging behind the Azerbaijanis in technological development, concluded a major military agreement with India for the supply of major weapons systems, including the Indian Pinaka MLRS.

#BREAKING
Media sources reveal #India will export high-grade weapons to #Armeniaincluding missiles, rockets & ammunition, amid renewed aggression by #Azerbaijan

The order will also include the first-ever export of #pinaka multi barrel rocket launcher developed by @DRDO_India pic.twitter.com/TaCToRjSGL

— Karen Mkrtchyan🇦🇲🇮🇳 (@KarenMkrtchyan4) September 29, 2022

Against this background, the United States, taking advantage of the opportunity, is trying to tear Armenia away from Russia, thus weakening the CSTO.

As we reported earlier, Gagik Melkonyan, a member of the ruling Political Treaty party, said that the party has begun discussions on the issue of Armenia’s withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) or suspension of membership in it for an indefinite period.

Read more in the post: Armenian politician claims that negotiations have begun to withdraw from the CSTO “in order to buy American weapons”

Nikol Pashinyan

According to him, the US intends to provide Armenia with access to weapons and support, but only on the condition that the country withdraws from the CSTO. “The United States will sell us weapons if we leave the CSTO. This is their condition, yes, they want us to come out. Discussions have begun in the faction of the State Duma on the withdrawal or suspension of Armenia’s membership in the CSTO,” Gagik Melkonyan said.

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