Despite attempts by Moscow and other countries to achieve a ceasefire, the Nagorno-Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues. BulgarianMilitary.com learned that the Armenian artillery had shot down the Azerbaijani Su-25 attack aircraft using the Igla portable anti-aircraft missile system.
The attack took place a few hours ago, and the information about the incident is quite contradictory. The Armenian forces shot down the Azerbaijani Su-25, according to field sources. According to others, the same aircraft suffered very serious damage to the hull and it is not clear whether it had crashed or managed to return to its base.
However, military experts argue that the data provided by the Armenian side can be quite contradictory and even incorrect. They rely on a fact that is often forgotten – the use of Su-25 in such a densely populated mountain range area is often a problem for Su-25, even when they have made training flights in the past.
According to unconfirmed data, the Azerbaijani forces have lost another plane in the last 24 hours – the multi-engine target plane An-2, which is not clear whether the cause is a technical malfunction or whether it has been shot down by the Armenian forces.
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on 27 September, with active clashes taking place in the disputed territory. Martial law has been introduced in Azerbaijan and Armenia, and mobilization has been announced. Both sides reported that they were killed and injured, including civilians. They announced control of several Karabakh villages and strategic heights in Baku. Yerevan also reports on the shelling of the territory of Armenia.
The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh since February 1988, when the Autonomous Region of Nagorno-Karabakh announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan SSR.
During the armed conflict of 1992-1994, the Azerbaijani side lost control of Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven areas adjacent to it. Since 1992, negotiations have been held within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group on the peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is led by co-chairs – Russia, the United States, and France.
In 1994, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, through the mediation of Russia, signed the Bishkek Armistice Protocol. At the same time, the military operations did not stop there, which were periodically renewed.
The most serious exacerbation of the conflict was the 2016 four-day war. Then hundreds of soldiers were killed on both sides.
During last year's meeting with the President of Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for rhetoric that would run counter to the fundamental principles endorsed by both sides and enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Helsinki Final Act to resolve the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
At the same time, the head of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs admitted that much more needs to be done to achieve a long-term political settlement.
