YEREVAN (Realist English). Yerevan remains neutral, trying to help the Ukrainians and Russians who are now in Armenia. This was stated by the former official representative of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan in an interview with the Realist Information Agency.
“The Armenian side has been clearly defending its position, maintaining neutrality. The authorities are trying to help both the Ukrainians and Russians who are currently in Armenia by creating conditions for them to live and work here,” Hovhannisyan explained.
According to the interlocutor of the Realist Information Agency, at this difficult moment for Russia, official Baku is trying to create a lot of problems in Artsakh through problems with gas supply and military provocations in the peacekeeping operation zone: “They are replicating a lot of fake information that some changes are allegedly taking place on our side. Azerbaijan’s tactics are not new, they are working to discredit the Armenian side in every possible way, using any excuse.”
This is how Hovhannisyan commented on Haber Global‘s throw-in about the transfer of Armenian fighter-jets to the Ukrainian conflict zone:
“This is nonsense, our Su-30’s are standing in place. I personally know about this, the aircraft are in their permanent place, engaged in combat training and have not flown anywhere. This is another Azerbaijani throw-in, an attempt to draw Armenia into the conflict. During the entire period of Russia’s special military operation in the Ukraine, Azerbaijan has repeatedly tried to involve the Armenian side in the conflict.
Naturally, the story about the Su-30’s, which had allegedly left Armenia, especially worried the Ukrainian side, but they realized that this was fake information, which was very quickly exposed. As soon as Baku has an opportunity to use something against the Armenians, they do it. This is their aggressive method of work.”
On March 8, taking advantage of Russia’s special anti-terrorist operation in the Ukraine, the Baku regime cut off the gas supply in Artsakh in order to terrorize the indigenous Armenian population of the region. In the conditions of unprecedented snowfall and unheard of cold, about 120 thousand residents of Nagorno-Karabakh lost access to gas supply. The pipeline from Armenia passes through the temporarily occupied Armenian city of Shushi. “Artsakhgaz” restored gas supply only on March 28.
On March 24, Baku formations invaded the Armenian village of Parukh in the Askeran district located in the area of Russian peacekeepers’ responsibility. Instead of stopping their provocations, the Azerbaijani occupiers climbed from the village to the elevation of Karaglukh, rejecting the persuasions of the peacekeepers to withdraw to their starting positions.
